


branches of the same tree

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Bending (Avatar), M/M, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, and also most things are very different, iwaoi if you squint, loads of linking back and references to the original atla series, though hints of the original story and plot are conveyed through characters and stuff, though you don't need to watch the series to understand this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-09-09 07:06:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 48,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8880589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: His hands lifted up to gently take the hat from both sides before they paused, slender fingers grazing soft gossamer, as warm brown eyes caught something – no, two somethings – on the shore of his beach. His arms dropped to the side and he headed back out into open air to get a look at what has washed up like driftwood and pretty shells.
They were men, young men at that. One looked about eighteen and as if he’d been through hell and back, he donned serious burns up and down his arms and a mixture of swollen purple and painfully yellowed bruises, as well as a split lip. The other looked about Suga’s age, maybe older, and he looked worse for wear instead of broken, undamaged apart from the fact that he was unconscious, but the thing that struck Suga was the fact that he was wearing Fire Nation armour, while the other male was wearing the ragged, damaged clothes of a prisoner.
In fact, now that Suga thought about it, there was something familiar about the youngest male, or maybe it was the fact that he looked so unfamiliar.
// The Avatar AU that no one asked for.





	1. if only it had been so easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " you have indeed felt a great loss.   
>  but love is a form of energy,   
> and it swirls all around us.   
>  the air nomads’ love for you has not left this world.   
> it is still inside of your heart,   
>  and is reborn in the form of new love "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this au has spawned from both my own head canons for water bending keith kogane from voltron (which i have developed into the plot of this fic) and a load of [emuyh's amazing hq!!/lok crossover au](http://emuyh-art.tumblr.com/tagged/hq%2Ftlok) and other absolutely amazing art in the hq atla au/haikyuu avatar/ haikyuu avatar au tags on tumblr! so, big thanks to them and for the inspiration to spawn this au.
> 
> the pairings listed above are the pairings that will definitely be happening (i only now realise i should probably also tag angst, whoops), and the pairings that are most prominent or pivotal to the plot.
> 
> you don't need any previous knowledge of atla or lok to read this, as i am diverging completely from the plot in many, many ways and the hq!! characters replace the ones in the original series, though i am still keeping almost everything else the same. (places, fire nation/water tribe/earth kingdom/air temples, details, clothing, culture, etc. with stay the same.)  
> everything in this fic has a way of linking back around, so please, conspire! think things! come up with theories! who knows? some of them may be right.
> 
> anyway, now that my long winded explanation about this fic is completed, please, enjoy!

If there was anything Suga hated more than the Fire Nation or the Fire Lord, it was their soldiers.

They thought they owned whatever they burnt to the ground, whether it be forests, villages, homes or cities, and they thought it good to pollute rivers and lakes to run their factories, and insert themselves into the other Nations as self-proclaimed rightful rulers, they thought it helpful to pillage the world of earth and water benders; and Suga hated them for it.

He hated having to destroy every factory being built on the river bed of Jang Hui that polluted the waters and left the fishing-village foodless and starving, he hated having to soothe children as he watched them or their parents die of illness from the polluted fish and seafood, he hated the way the Fire Nation threw away all of Suga’s destruction and anger and hurt as if it were nothing and rebuilt everything within a month and a half – repeating the same endless cycle of Suga’s Anger and Hurt and Destruction and Acceptance and Anger and Hurt all over again; every month, as long as he could remember.

Before him, he had no idea whom was protecting the village, whether it was the Painted Lady or not, but, either way, they were doing a pretty bad job at it. When Suga arrived at Jang Hui, still hurting from something different, the water was filled with sludge and mercury and polluted almost beyond repair. Almost all of the fish had died or had left, and the ones that stayed oozed mud and smelt like death, and the village ate them because that’s all they had to eat.

Suga fixed their water and their food problems, and, upon hearing the myth of the Painted Lady, he decided to take up the mantel himself, and had done for almost a decade.

Now, when he wasn’t angry he was hurting, and when he wasn’t hurting he was destroying, and when all that was over he had accepted it. The cycle began on the second week of each month without fail, and he was always angry.

His bare feet made no sound against the cool metal of the factory and his robes and veil trailed behind him like fog, the coned, straw hat and the veil attached to either side around it covered his face with misty gossamer, though he didn’t need it. When he heard footsteps to the right of him, loud and deafening and clearly some type of metal on metal, Suga didn’t even turn as he flicked his wrist, channelling the water in the pipes to burst through the metal to freeze the soldier and render him immobile in his place. Suga turned right down a sleek corridor coloured red by the hanging lights and past the frozen soldier, whose eyes followed him angrily like a hawk, and he knew immediately that he was on the right track.

No matter how many times he destroyed the Fire Nation’s mini-factories, they rebuilt them in exactly the same way and the exact same layout; and, by now, he knew the way to the boiler and central control room off by heart. As always, the door was left unguarded and unlocked and Suga slipped in easily, immediately freezing all of the panels and pipes with the water stored in his skin pouch before freezing the remainder of the water around his hand, taking in a sharp, cool breath and propelling his fist forward with such might that it sent his hand and arm through the wall of the boiler as if it were paper thin and crafted with paper and glue.

The ice bubbled dangerously around his skin, and he felt his forearm scalding from the heat, yet he punched again, this time targeting a pipe which dug dangerously against his upper arm after he ripped portion of it out. The heat dial snapped off and smashed loudly, glass and metal splintering like fallen rice grains across the floor, and if Suga stepped in the sharp shrapnel, he probably wouldn’t have noticed.

Suga turned his head to the sky, and to the roof of metal above him, and took in a deep, lingering breath. With that breath he took in all the negative thoughts and feelings surrounding him, all the pain and hurt and anger he carried towards the Fire Nation, and he bottled it up. With a breath that sent dangerously tiny frost crystals into the air, he breathed all the negative emotions out again, just as the side of his foot nudged the arm-length portion of broken pipe.

He looked down before slowly bending down to pick it up and taking it in both hands, holding it like you would a bat. He looked at it once more, this time as if it offended him, before taking a step back, scowling and swinging the pipe at the boiler.

With an almighty groan from the boiler, wail and simultaneous explosion of several pipes, the alarms for a broken boiler finally went off, and Suga dropped the pipe as if it had offended him and exited the room swiftly, robes swishing behind him – as always, the deafening alarm and flashing red lights that cast flickering, sinister look to the building around him were his cue to leave.

Within five minutes, the backlog of mud, and chunks of metal and stone would become too much, and the factory would implode, sending the infrastructure crumbling and the metal bending beneath the pressure. Suga had calculated the explosion perfectly so nothing but a few, stray pieces of expulsion would land in the delicate ecosystem of the river, instead, everything would tumble backwards down a land slide, taking everything and everyone inside with it. If the factory was bigger than it was, then the situation would be entirely different, but, lucky for him, the factory was on the over-staffed, smaller size.

A blast of fire narrowly missed his ear and veil, and he half turned to look at the soldiers behind him who were standing in battle stances, their fists raised and ready to plume fire if he made a wrong move; though he wasn’t scared in the slightest. Suga hesitated, eyes narrowing, as he tilted gently between staying or leaving swiftly.

“Who are you, intruder, and how have you meddled with the factory?” One soldier barked at him, effectively making up Suga’s mind, and Suga couldn’t help but smile at the hint of fear in his voice.

Suga refused to turn fully, but faced the soldier who spoke how he stood, head tilted to the side. “I am the Painted Lady, and I suggest you tell your people to stop building factories on the edge of Jang Hui,” Suga spoke calmly and flatly, the hat tilting slightly as he moved his head to gaze relentlessly into the soldier’s face mask with dangerous brown eyes. “Unless you wish to have everything you’ve ever built destroyed by me.”

“You cannot destroy anything! Unmask yourself!” The soldier barked, and Suga raised an eyebrow, his head tilting back up. “You are no spirit,” the soldier spat, his palm raised. “No spirit would look like the likes of you.”

With a huff of air, he let a ball of fire move from the breath in his diaphragm to the exit point of his fist, and Suga didn’t even blink as he turned fully and sharply pulled his hand up in front of him, casting water from his pouch to effectively deflect and extinguish the fire. The soldier took a few steps back, the sound of the water splashing on the floor deafening in the silence of Suga’s action.

“Hear me, soldiers,” Suga announced darkly, lowering his hands as he glared at the men in front of him. “I am the spirit of the Painted Lady, here to protect the village of Jang Hui from harm. I shall warn you now, should you ever build any more factories on this land, I shall destroy them like I have done this one and all others in the past, and more harm shall come from it than good.”

“You lie,” The soldier hissed, his fist raised again as he stepped forward, unrelenting in his anger. “You are no spirit!” he repeated, and, this time, when he raised his fist for the third time, Suga didn’t even wait for him to fire before he cast the water from the ground to dart up and freeze his fists solid. The soldier paused and looked down at the appendages in horror before he began to knock his hands off of walls in an effort to chip the ice, and when that didn’t work, he charged and kicked in a spin to use his feet. With another wave of Suga’s hands, the remaining water had attached itself to the soldier’s feet and the weight sent him crumbling to the floor.

Suga cast a cold glance over the rest of the audience, all of which had backed away from the two. “Do any more of you wish to test me?” He asked coolly, and the soldiers replied by scampering away.

He turned swiftly, his robes and veil billowing out like clouds behind him, as walked for a length down a corridor before reaching down and heaving open the cover for a man hole and slipping inside, letting the lid slam shut over his head. The room he had dropped into left him waist length in pure water, and he felt around the walls for the panels of loose metal before peeling it back and stepping outside into the warm air.

Suga used his bending to remove all excess water from his clothes before jumping from the cliff the factory sat on, onto the surface of the clear, blue water, the water freezing when a foot was placed to take a step and reverted back to water once the skin was removed. With this, he quickly made his way to his shore just as the factory imploded for good, and he smiled at the sight before turning and dipping between two large hills and entering the enclave her called home.

His hands lifted up to gently take the hat from both sides before they paused, slender fingers grazing soft gossamer, as warm brown eyes caught something – no, two somethings – on the shore of his beach. His arms dropped to the side and he headed back out into open air to get a look at what has washed up like driftwood and pretty shells.

They were men, young men at that. One looked about eighteen and as if he’d been through hell and back, he donned serious burns up and down his arms and a mixture of swollen purple and painfully yellowed bruises, as well as a split lip. The other looked about Suga’s age, maybe older, and he looked worse for wear instead of broken, undamaged apart from the fact that he was unconscious, but the thing that struck Suga was the fact that he was wearing Fire Nation armour, while the other male was wearing the ragged, damaged clothes of a prisoner.

In fact, now that Suga thought about it, there was something familiar about the youngest male, or maybe it was the fact that he looked so unfamiliar. The clothes didn’t suit him at all, they were too dark, he should be wearing a brighter colour like purple, and he looked so out of place on the shores Jang Hui, as if he should be in a different place entirely, some place colder…

“Tobio,” The words fell from Suga’s lips before he could stop them, and the youngest male stirred in his unconsciousness as Suga slapped his hand across his mouth, preventing any further ones from escaping in his surprise. “Oh… Oh, Tobio…” he whispered gently, the pads of his fingers inches from his lips as he took a fumbling step closer to collapse next to the male, brushing too-long raven black hair from his face.

Suga bit his lip as he looked over his brother’s marred and damaged features. What had happened, he wondered, after he had been banished from the Tribe? Had they captured him? After all, he and Suga were the last waterbenders the Southern Water Tribe had to offer, and Suga could remember the day they got that title as clearly as he remembered the exact colour of Kageyama Tobio’s eyes; they were a precise shade of blueberry sapphire, not quite as deep as indigo or navy, but in between the colour of darkened blue seas and the colour of the clothes he normally wore.

Suga shook his head to dispel the bad thoughts that were whirling around and carefully titled Kageyama until he was sitting up before pulling the boy over his shoulder in a fireman’s haul with a loud huff, the ashy-haired male staggered to his feet and wobbled into his enclave, almost falling over from the sheer weight of the raven haired male on his shoulder, before placing him down a little less than gently on his make-shift bed.

He sighed and collapsed against the wall about a foot or two from Kageyama, rubbing his now aching shoulder, before he left his hand drop as he looked to his entryway. The man outside was still there, unconscious too, and some part of Sugawara felt bad about the fact that he was pretty much leaving the male out there to rot, but, still, he was Fire Nation and had the armour and weird hairstyle to prove it.

And yet, he still didn’t know what to do.

“Tobio,” Suga whispered, head falling back against the rock behind him. “What would you do if you were me?” He finished with a sigh, rolling his head to face Kageyama as he rested a cheek on his fist. “Would you leave him out there or take him in, even if you did hate the Fire Nation?”

Kageyama of course, didn’t reply, and maybe Suga had been a little bit too hopeful that he would in the first place, but Suga knew that if anyone in the family had the grudges and the perpetual state of hating life and hating people who weren’t Suga or Oikawa or their father, it was Tobio, not himself. So, with a sigh, Suga pulled himself to his feet and wondered how on earth he was going to get a man probably twice his weight inside his tiny little enclave.

The fireman’s lift was out; Suga would probably break his shoulders. So was the piggyback; he did not want to get crushed thank you very much. And so was waterbending him in; the raid on the factory had tired him out for the rest of the day. So the only choice there seemed to be was the drag him in, which was a challenge in itself.

Suga exited his cave and looked around for the male, he had moved at all, and Suga presumed that the brunet was still unconscious, so, tentatively, Suga crept forward, knelt down, and grabbed the man’s forearms. His muscles strained as he walked backwards and dragged the body with him, huffing and puffing as he got closer and further in to his make-shift home. He pulled the male until he was lying on another fur and then fell to the ground himself, hat tumbling off and catching underneath the weight of his body, he winced as she item pulled at his hair, suddenly remembering the fact that he still had his spirit clothes on.

He sighed and turned over, slowly sitting up and taking the hat in his hands before placing it on his head gently as he stood up, moving around the second male to attend to Kageyama’s injuries. Suga raised his hand, fingers splayed, and the water from the bowl beside the bed rose and drifted over to his hands, encasing the appendages in crystal clear liquid, before he lowered them to hover over Kageyama. He sucked in a deep breath and then let it go, clearing his mind of thoughts like you’d empty a bath.

One by one, everything he thought on a daily basis trickled down the drain.

_I hate the Fire Nation. I must protect Jang Hui. Is Kageyama okay? What has happened to the tribe? Will I ever be able to leave Jang Hui? Is what I’m doing making a mark on the world?_

The emptiness of his mind both startled and calmed him, as it was unusual for him to be thinking absolutely nothing at all, but it helped him heal effectively, so he focused on that, his hand glowing a pale blue as it drifted over the bruised and scarred skin. Suga reached forward with his other hand and ripped open the fabric, wincing at the wounds that were covered by the dirty cloth; and, not wanting to give the skin a second look, he drew his hand over it and instead felt everything beneath his fingers, and because it’s Kageyama, his brother and someone he knows like the back of his hand, the sensation almost makes him gag.

Suga pulled his hand back abruptly, and turned to face the second male, face visibly souring. He closed his eyes slowly and tries to focus on clearing his mind, because whenever he looks at the brunet’s face, or his clothes or his stupid, stupid hair, all Suga can see is red, and that is definitely not good for healing.

_Why are the Fire Nation doing this? What have they done? Why won’t they stop? Why are they doing this? What have they done to Kageyama?_

Suga let the water drop from his hand to the floor, sending droplets onto his robes and the left shoulder of the unknown man as he pressed the balls of his palms to the sides of his head, pressing down gently and creating a firm, very real pressure.

“Stop,” he whispered to himself. “Stop it.”

He turned away from the male and lifted a hand to bring the water back up to encase the appendage, and he cleared his mind once again and pressed the hand to his burnt and slicing forearm. He winced at the pain but waited until the blue light had gone out completely to bend the water back into its bowl, and slowly turned his arm to look at the damage. There was a large pink mark on his skin from the burn and just a faint, white line from the scar.

He nodded approvingly and pulled down his sleeve, yet he couldn’t help but let his eyes catch on the male beneath him.

He sucked in a shaking breath and stood up sharply, the hat, this time, staying firmly on his head, as he walked towards the entryway. Suga cast one last, fleeting glance over his room and his company before ducking his head into the darkness of the night sky and heading to the shore. He almost floats across the water, the fog he’s created from the surface of the water billowing out around him like it’s an appendage he would be amiss without. And, when his bare feet meet the sun-warmed wooden planks that make the paths of the village in the middle of the water, he is as silent and a serious as a spirit.

Jang Hui always managed to instil some sort of seriousness in him, different to the kind he usually had.

The village was always worse on its luck, especially with the river and lake’s delicate ecosystem, and the fact that factories pop up every month or so like they had been made as carbon copies in a factory, didn’t help the case. Lots of children and adults were still sick or ill, and it saddened Suga to know that he couldn’t do much besides give them the things they needed, and try to heal them externally; even when he knew the root of the problem was inside of them, something which was much harder to fix.

Still, Suga visited as the Painted Lady, and, to this day, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason he began to be her in the first place. Maybe it felt right to become her, or maybe it felt devastating to do nothing – whatever the reason was, he can’t remember it now.

Suga returned to the cave silently, pulling off his hat and hanging it on the hook, careful to tie up the gossamer veil so it wouldn’t rip or tear like it had done in some of Suga’s earlier days as a spirit. He wiped off the make-up and peeled off the robes and dress, after hanging the clothing up on the hoot alongside the hat he was ready to collapse into bed spread eagled. His eyes caught Kageyama and his heart sunk in his chest. He sighed and grabbed spare furs from underneath his bed to curl up into a ball under, and arranged them like his sleeping bag in a corner of the room, snuggling down until the soft, soft fur was tickling his nose, eyes focused half on Kageyama and half on the other male.

The silence around him was deafening, and he almost felt criminal for breaking it, as he burrowed down deeper in his furs and opened his mouth to let out a quiet, “Goodnight, Tobio,”. The silence returned with a pressing urgency, and Suga could almost hear himself thinking, his brain turning like the cogs and wheels in machinery. _Yes_ , he thought, _That’s what my brain would sound like; Machinery._

Suga closed his eyes, humming quietly to himself. And, if he listened hard enough, he swore he could hear the sound of machinery drawing ever closer with every breath he inhaled and exhaled.

  
*

Even with two new companions in his life, Suga’s routine didn’t change much, and possibly maybe that was because of the fact that they were both unconscious in what was technically his bedroom. Apart from the fact that he was almost constantly worried that someone, now, was going to happen upon his hiding place because one of the two males – or both of them – started banging around and making a lot of noise once they woke up.

Yet, even that was the least of Suga’s current worries, for instance, one thing he had been worrying about lately was how long someone remained unconscious after being knocked out. Surely not that long from brute force, and quite a bit of time from getting hit by an object, yet, how long would someone be unconscious after being knocked out from lack of air?

At least the one thing that soothed him was that both males seemed to be breathing steadily. Or maybe they weren’t. It would be really creepy if Suga was trying to heal dead bodies; he shivered at the thought.

“You okay, sir?” The store-keeper asked, and he looked up, flattening the sour look on his face into a smile, almost feeling guilty at the genuine concern on her face.

_Don’t worry_ , he almost wanted to say. _I was just thinking about whether or not I’m keeping dead bodies in my cave. Excuse me. It would be priceless to see the look on her face_.

Suga nodded, his lips curving. “Yes, sorry, just a bit distracted,” he placed the coins he owed down on the counter in front of the woman before he picked up his basket and smiled back at her once more. “Thanks. I’ll be leaving now.”

He exited the shop and sighed at nothing in particular and if not that then the ground, or what was technically the ground, that swayed beneath his feet as he walked across the wooden slats on the paths and towards the dock, where a man would ferry him from Jang Hui to the shore, and from the shore it took less than four minutes to reach his cave-home, which he slipped inside easily, barely glancing over the figures before stepping over the brunet and placing the basket of food on the make-shift kitchen counter.

Suga slipped an apple from the bottom of the basket and held it between his teeth as he bent down next to his bag and searched for the small item, smiling brightly when his fingers closed around it greedily.

The cloth was a familiar, soft texture on the pads of his fingers, and he slowly lifted it up to gloss it against his cheek, sighing softly at the feeling. He finally took a bite of the fruit and held it one hand, the necklace in the other. His thumb brushed over the delicate charm carved into a pebble that hung from a golden loop beneath the band; two koi fish circling that represented the Moon and Ocean spirit, Tui and La. Suga thought it was beautiful.

The necklace had been a betrothal gift that his father had made for his mother, and it was the only thing both he and Kageyama had of her, just like the only thing Kageyama had of their father was his fabric belt, which Suga was thankful to find tied carefully around his wrist. (With a bit of scrubbing and washing on Suga’s part it was almost back too normal.)

The apple suddenly tasted sour in his mouth and he grimaced, spitting out the fruit that he was chewing as he rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand, placing the apple on the counter, well away from him because even the smell was repulsive now. His mother always brought up painful memories, and so did his father, but it wasn’t those thoughts that made him sick to his stomach.

It was the ones about his Tribe.

Kageyama stirred and Suga looked up, startled, the necklace almost falling between his fingers. Kageyama tossed until he was lying on his back again, groaning as a painful grimace crossed his face. And then, slowly, and as if every movement pained him, Kageyama opened his eyes and began to cry.

*

Kageyama thought he was dead, no, he wished he was dead. Or both.

Never in his life had Kageyama wanted to open his eyes to something that wasn’t the Fire Nation’s prison at Boiling Rock as bad as he had… What? A week ago? A month ago? He couldn’t remember. Well… As bad as he had in a long time, so, when he finally opened not-quite-sapphire eyes to a cave roof, he thought he was dead.

Salty tears rolled down his cheeks and he couldn’t stop them and he didn’t know why, because he wasn’t dead, he knew that now. Everything was too real, and Kageyama was aware of something moving and someone breathing softly to the right of him, but he wasn’t dead and he was so very, very thankful.

A sob choked his breath and he closed his eyes, forcing himself to thing back and remember what happened.

Prison, he remembered that, as clear as day, and a Fire Nation soldier too, someone who promised that he’d get Kageyama out because he has someone on the other side that he loves dearly doesn’t he? And he remembered shouting, a lot of fire, and then quite a bit of falling (judging by his bruises maybe down the side of a mountain, he thinks bitterly) and then a lot of nothing in particular before he heard his name.

His eyes sprung open. His name, he heard his name, but who could’ve said it? Because the voice sounded suspiciously like Sugawara, but Suga was banished; he caught himself, he wasn’t in the South Pole anymore, so Suga could be anywhere too.

“S-Suga…?” He croaked, voice like sandpaper as he called out to anyone who was near. “Koushi?”

“Tobio!” Suga’s voice called and suddenly that lovely ashy brown hair and those meltingly warm brown eyes were hovering tearfully above him. “Oh, you’re okay, I’m so glad!”

Kageyama sniffed loudly and rolled his back before slowly pulling himself up to a sitting position, half rubbing his aching forehead tenderly and half wiping at his dripping eyes, and smiling at Suga.

“I’m glad too,” Kageyama replied quietly, before he lowered his hands and looked at his surroundings properly. He seemed to be in some sort of cosy cave-home, Suga’s probably, and the first thing he has the want to ask if how on earth the man managed to get him and that Fire Nation soldier in here. “It’s been so long, where am I?”

“You’re at Jang Hui, a small fishing village,” Suga answered, his brow creased as he leaned forward to take Kageyama’s hands in his, running his thumbs soothingly over the younger male’s knuckles. “I’ve been here for almost ten years. How long ago did you get captured?” Suga asked quickly, his grip on Kageyama tightening. “Please, Tobio, I need to know.”

Kageyama closed his eyes, furrowed his brow and concentrated. “Uh… nearly a year… I believe…” Kageyama replied, opening his eyes before nodding, affirming his previous statement. “Yeah, nearly a year."

“Oh, Tobio,” Suga said sympathetically and Kageyama noticed he’d been doing that a lot in the past few minutes or so. Saying his name.

“This guy, Daichi,” Kageyama nodded down at the brunet and Suga’s eyes quickly followed him, facial expressions dropping into a visible frown. “He rescued me. Got me out of the Boiling Rock and everything. You should thank him when he wakes up, though, he hit his head a lot, so it might not be for a while yet.” Kageyama added, smiling down at the male the way a underclassman would look at a respected upperclassman.

“Oh,” Suga replied weakly, his voice feeble in the silence of the room.

“He helped me while I was in prison.” Kageyama tagged on, and Suga nodded, biting his lip.

“Oh,”

“And he brought me back to you.”

“Hm,”

Kageyama made a low growl in the back of his throat, bundling the sheets beneath his fingers into fists in his aggravation. “Why do you keep saying ‘Oh,’ and ‘Hm,’ like that? Is there something you want to tell me?”

Suga refused to meet his eyes. “No reason."

“There’s obviously a reason,” Kageyama pointed out.

Suga glared at him fiercely, and, like when they were children, Kageyama had the overwhelming urge to back down, but his was not something he would let go so lightly. Suga sighed. “It’s nothing, but…”

“Ugh, I knew there was a but!”

“He’s a Fire Nation soldier, Tobio,” Suga hissed, lowering his voice. “And probably a firebender. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, which, judging by his body mass, isn’t very far.”

“Then why did you bring him in here?” Kageyama asked dumbly, and eyebrow raised in question and Suga sighed in exasperation.

“Because not bringing him in here would be something you’d do and I’m not you,” Suga huffed out in his annoyance, folding his arms across his chest as if to prove Kageyama a point he wasn’t quite getting. “You’re the type to hold grudges and I’m not. Also, It's not like I had anywhere else to put him, it's not like I can just march up to the Fire Nation with him in my arms like damsel.”

Kageyama sighed and ran a hand across his face. “We’re brothers, it’s not exactly criminal if we share one trait with each other.” He pointed out before sighing again. "Also I'm going to ignore that last comment."

“Yes,” Suga quipped with a scowl. “But I am not you.”

“I am aware!” Kageyama snapped and Suga pursed his lips together, the raven haired male sighed and placed his hand on Suga’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Look, Daichi is a good guy okay? I trust him, and if I trust him, you can trust him too.”

“But, Tobio!” Suga whined, sounding as if Kageyama was supposed to understand some hidden context. “He’s a firebender!”

“Yes, and?”

“And he’s part of the Fire Nation!”

“Was." The raven-haired boy's eyes narrowed at his brother. "And are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“See, Kageyama—”

Kageyama’s eyes widened and he turned away from Suga indignantly, pressing his fingers to his temples in disbelief. “Oh my Gods,” he managed, bringing his knees up to his chest. “I can’t believe you’re actually saying this!”

“Kageyama, you have to understand you haven’t seen what I have—” Suga tried desperately, but Kageyama cut him off with a glare and a bitter look.

“'I haven’t seen'?” Kageyama repeated lowly. “' _I haven’t seen,_ '. Do you hear yourself, Suga— Koushi? I’ve been in prison, I have seen.” Kageyama questioned, and, for once, Kageyama didn’t care how harsh he was being nor if he hurt Suga’s feelings. “Suga— no, Koushi, by saying that you are being just like them! You are becoming someone who judges on which Nation they come from, and that’s bad Koushi. Look where that got the Fire Benders; there are only four air benders left because they thought, ten years ago that the Avatar was an airbender.”

“I’ve watched firebenders kill people, Tobio,” Suga said sadly. “I’ve watched them pollute this river again and again, and rip people from their homes and families, and I’ve watched them practically starve out a family. You can’t expect me – the world – to change overnight because of one person. You."

Kageyama sighed again and ran his hand through his hair and Suga noticed that he’d been sighing a lot lately. “I’m not expecting you or anyone else to change overnight, but I am expecting you to at least try and trust him, even just a little bit,” Kageyama offered to him, a small smile on his face. “But please. I need you to do this for me.”

Suga pursed his lips, but nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. “I will try. But, Kageyama, I won’t be looking after him. I have too much work to do. I can look after him during the night, but that’s it."

“Okay,” Kageyama agreed. “I’ll look after Daichi during the day. Hey, Koushi,” Kageyama opened his arms up for a hug and Suga gratefully fell into them, squeezing his brother tight and as if he let go Kageyama would disappear like smoke between his fingers. “Thank you for finding me.”

“Thank you for finding _me_.” Suga replied with a grin before he released Kageyama slowly. “He… uh… what’s Daichi like?” Suga asked tentatively, his knee bouncing in agitation.

“He’s really polite,” Kageyama told him. “A true gentleman. You two would get along amazingly.”

Suga bit his lip and the room lapsed into silence.

“Tobio, when referring to me to Daichi, please call me the Painted Lady.” Suga offered quietly.

“Painted Lady?” Kageyama questioned. “What does that mean?”

“The Painted Lady is the spirit that I act as to Jang Hui, just don’t talk about me using Suga or Koushi just yet…” Suga said, before looking up to Kageyama with wide, pleading eyes. “Please…”

Kageyama smiled reassuringly. “I won’t, I promise. Just don’t wait too long, Koushi.”

“I promise,"

If only lying through his teeth had been so easy to do to his father.


	2. a matched set

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " pride is not the opposite of shame,  
> but its source.  
> true humility is the only antidote to shame."

There was something calming about being in the middle of unconsciousness and waking, and for Daichi, it was the feeling of fuzziness he felt whenever he resurfaced from the darkness that was his mind.

For instance, at night he saw the beautiful spirit with almost star coloured hair, and during the day he saw the raven haired boy with not-quite-sapphire eyes that he knew was Kageyama. Yes, he was sure he knew Kageyama, and yet he didn’t know or remember the second person – spirit, being – and enjoyed the fuzziness all the same.

Though, there was points when he was unconscious, fully unconscious, that Daichi realised that his mind wasn’t quite as bright as he thought it was.

He knew the reoccurring dream or dreams off by heart, and of course it was just his rotten luck that he got knocked unconscious by something – someone? He really can’t remember – and that’s what sometimes plays in the deepest, darkest part of his mind. (Or maybe it’s the shallowest part of his mind, or something in between, it’s a shame the inside of his head doesn’t have depth measurements.)

The dream always started off the same, it’s him and his parents eating breakfast in their small house in the city, cheap enough for his father’s job to fully cover everything they need, Daichi realised that was the Before of the dream; before his father got promoted, before his father left, before his mother began getting ill. As the dream progressed, he noticed the oddest things out of place, such his father’s wedding ring on a different finger, or the way that the long it went on the more the fire tried to curl around the edges, and yet, before the fire completely burnt everything away there was always the After; after his father died, after his mother got ill, after his mother married again.

It was a confusing dream, and, really, to Daichi it didn’t make much sense. Especially after he was told by a close friend that he has “ _a lot of emotional and personal issues that are painfully displayed through your wreck of an aura_ ,”. ( _Thanks, Asshole_ , Daichi thought bitterly, _way to help a guy out._ ) But despite that it always left him with a lingering scene of uneasiness that he just couldn’t shake.

The other ‘sometimes’ of the reoccurring dream is Daichi getting chased by Platypus bears, though instead of them growing at him and accidentally laying eggs all the time, they spoke to him and yelled all of the things he didn’t ever want to hear; no matter how many times the dream is repeated, the platypus bears always said different things, but alike to the first reoccurring dream, at the end, fire curled it around the edges and he woke up in a dead sweat, breathing heavily and trying not to think too much.

But when is startled from his unconsciousness in the dead of night, and finally, finally gets to gaze upon the silver-haired spirit – being, beauty – in his fuzzy moments in the middle of awareness and unconsciousness, the last thing he expects the what-ever-it-is to do is reel back its fist and knock him right back into dream land; blue birds flying around his head.

It took what he assumed was about three days for him to reach consciousness again, and this time he woke up to the raven haired boy dabbing his forehead with a wet cloth. And God, Daichi thought, is my forehead pounding. He groaned, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he turned away for the too-bright light, and the raven haired boy started.

“Oh,” The boy – Kageyama, Daichi remembered – peered down to look at his face, the action of which made Daichi slightly cross-eyed. “You’re awake.”

"Yes,” Daichi groaned, throwing an arm across his eyes to block out the brightness of his surroundings. “And why the actual fuck did someone punch me in the face?” Daichi asked, peering back at the blue-eyed boy.

A small, amused smile stretched across Kageyama’s face. “Punched you in the face?” Kageyama replied slyly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Did someone punch you back at the prison?” He finished and Daichi dared to look at Kageyama again.

“No, I remember waking up and then someone punching me in the face,” Daichi told him, managing to haul himself up into a sitting position with his head still reeling. He pressed his knuckles to his temples, knocking twice as he frowned. “Or, well, at least I think I do.”

Kageyama shrugged and made a circular motion with his hands, and Daichi watched in amazement as all the water from the cloth and the basin drifted through the air gracefully to cover his hands. “Stay still,” he told Daichi, and Daichi obeyed. The hands on Daichi’s head were cool, and within seconds, and a pale blue glow, the throbbing at the back of Daichi’s skull had subsided to a faint, undetectable buzz, and he smiled at Kageyama.

“Thank you,” He told him, and he was glad to see a small smile stretch across the some-what stoic man’s lips.

“I should be telling you that,” Kageyama replied, and with another circular motion the water was removed from his hands and was a floating ball hovering mid-air. Daichi looked at it in interest and had the sudden urge to stick his finger in it before he caught and reminded himself that he was twenty-four, for God’s sake, not four. “You can poke it if you want.” Kageyama told him. “I wanted to do the same when I first saw water bending.”

“Uh,” Daichi stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck and not quite meeting Kageyama’s eyes. “You… uh… don’t mind?” he questioned tentatively, and, once Kageyama shook his head, he wasted no time in leaning forwards and sticking his entire hand in the ball of water, smiling like he’d just been told that the war was over and his parents were alive again.

Kageyama pulled his hand back and the ball of water followed his movement, and, while he moved his hands together – palms facing each other and fingertips almost brushing – like he was pushing and pulling the tide, the water lowered slowly into the basin before popping and exploding. Daichi stared at it, a small smile stretched across his face.

“I think water bending is really cool,” Daichi said, looking up to Kageyama at the same time Kageyama looked up to him. “That’s partly why I rescued you to be honest,” he admitted. “I thought what you could do was cool, and I thought it would be good to have you on my side. Sorry if that sounded weird.” Daichi finished with a mutter.

“I’m glad you think so, and I’m also glad to have you on my side,” Kageyama admitted as he took the basin into his arms, and stood up from kneeling on the ground. The bells around his wrist jingled gently as he walked outside, and Daichi wondered what they were for, but, before he could ponder the thought, Kageyama was back and had knelt down next to him again. “Do you want to know where we are?” The boy asked, and Daichi nodded.

“We’re still in fire nation territory,” Kageyama informed him gently. “One on of the outer islands near a town called Jang Hui, the… Painted Lady has been caring for you during the night while you were unconscious, and I looked after you during the day.” He admitted, before he looked Daichi up and down. “You should be able to walk soon, hopefully.”

Daichi sighed in relief and ran a hand through his hair, not realising how it was still in its neat and precise bun. “Well, that’s a relief,” He admitted before turning to Kageyama. “Do you have a knife?” he asked. “I want to cut my hair.”

Kageyama nodded and from beneath the swirling blue fabric of his belt, he handed Daichi a carved hunting knife. Daichi took the knife firmly in s hand, gripped the mound of hair and took one swift, hacking slice through the hair, Kageyama silently held a bowl out for Daichi’s hair, and Daichi placed it down before holding the knife out for Kageyama.

“Could you tidy my hair?” He asked and Kageyama nodded, taking the knife back and shuffling until he was behind Daichi.

Daichi closed his eyes, the slight tugging at his head and the hair floating down onto his shoulders felt like he was shedding his coat, and he knew the moment he was out of fire nation clothing he’d feel much better.

“You have - had - so much hair,” Kageyama said almost sadly and Daichi chuckled at the male. “Why do you want to cut it? It’s beautiful long.”

Daichi smiled. “I don’t know, it makes me feel better to cut it, and you can talk, you have short hair now too.”

There was a graze up the back of his head, against the grain of his hair, so close he could feel the warmed blade of the knife and Daichi wondered just how short Kageyama was cutting his hair, before he felt Kageyama shrug beneath his hands. “I had long hair when I was still in the water tribe; a wolf’s tail and an undercut. I grew it out a little before I was captured, and then my hair was just too long. The Painted Lady cut it for me.”

Daichi glanced back at Kageyama, the boy fully concentrated on making sure Daichi’s hair was cut neatly and cleanly, but Daichi’s eyes glanced over Kageyama’s form, taking in his appearance. He wasn’t wearing the ragged clothes he wore as a prison and Daichi was glad of that, he seemed to be wearing more water tribe style clothes; a dark blue muscle t-shirt that showed off bare shoulders and sculpted arms from the material travelling the length of his arm, the fabric pulled over his middle finger to keep it in place (Daichi assumed he normally wore gloves), the baggy pants tucked into animal snow boots, completed the look, and the scarf-belt around his waist carried the hunting knife and a water pouch.

The bell on his wrist jingled every time he moved, and Daichi found the sound comforting.

“Who,” Daichi began, before he paused, unsure of where to start. “Who is the Painted Lady?” he questioned, and Kageyama’s hands stilled for a second, before they returned, this time fixing the sides of his hair.

“The Painted Lady is a spirit.”

“I know that,” Daichi insisted. “Can you tell me the myth?” he asked, and he heard Kageyama sigh.

“A long time ago,” Kageyama recited, as if he knew the entire thing from memory. “There was a human who had a strong connection to nature and a strong relationship with spirits, because of this, upon their death, the human transcended into the spirit world. After becoming a spirit, this human, the Painted Lady, watched over Jang Hui, every factory that has been built on the land since has been destroyed; all because of the spirit.”

Daichi’s mouth fell open as Kageyama pulled away from the back of his head and kneeled up higher to fix something on the top of his head before sheathing the knife and digging something out of his pocket and pressing it gently into Daichi’s palm. It was smaller than his palm and the side facing him was covered in small, cute sea shells and was pleased to notice that, upon turning it over, it was a pocket mirror.

His reflection in the clean mirror is almost foreign to him, and his hair was so short that he looked like a different person entirely. He turned around to hand it back but Kageyama shook his head. “You can keep it,” he told Daichi as he stood up. “Also, I can get you new clothes tomorrow if you’d like, I know someone who can give you Fire Nation clothes that aren’t armour.”

Daichi’s brows creased. “Why aren’t you wearing Fire Nation clothes?” he asked. “Won’t people see you?”

Kageyama shrugged, and turned back to Daichi. “I don’t really care for Fire Nation clothes, and no one can tell if I wear robes.” He slipped the loop that sat around his middle finger over the digit and clenched his hand into a fist and then back again twice before slipping the loop back and smoothing out the tight fabric.

Daichi’s eyes caught the bells again.

“Kageyama—”

“You can call me Tobio,” Kageyama – Tobio – told him. “I don’t mind.”

“Tobio,” Daichi began again, and he thought about pointing before he splayed his hands across his knees and decided that it would be rude to do so. “Why do you wear bells around your wrist like that?” He asked, his head tilted in interest. “Not to be rude or anything, but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone do that.”

The corner of Tobio’s lip curled up, and the male thoughtfully tapped one of the three small bells. “Bells are believed to be tied to the water and spirits, either in good luck or bad. Some are believed to be tied to soulmates and some are meant to ward off evil spirits.”

“Why do you carry bells? Which reason?"

Tobio smiled again. “All the reasons I suppose, maybe one of them will come in handy one day,” he paused, thinking before turning away and shrugging. “Or maybe my bells will bring me bad luck. Who knows, really.” He glanced back at Daichi. “I’ll be outside if you need anything.”

With those final words of parting, Tobio had exited the cave, leaving Daichi to stare after him and wonder just what he meant. Daichi fell back onto the furs beneath him, staring up at the rocky ceiling and thinking; he wasn’t sure what to make of Kageyama Tobio, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

*

The sound of Kageyama’s bells woke Daichi for the second time, and, when he turned, he noticed it was just Kageyama stirring in his sleep.

Daichi sighed and was about to let his head fall back against the furs before he caught the billowing of a gossamer veil out of the corner of his eyes. Slowly, and careful not to wake or stir Kageyama further, Daichi slowly peeled the furs away from his skin and stood up, pulling on the loose robes that he usually wore beneath his armour before he held out his palm, a small, flickering fire casting a warm orange glow around the room as it appeared. He headed towards the mouth of the cave and pushed aside the curtains that he never noticed before, making sure the flame in the palm of his hand is controlled and just bright enough to give a substantial amount of light.

The sand of the shore is rough between Daichi’s toes, and figures that it’s because of the coarse stone of the cliffs around them. His eyes scan the river, and they catch on a figure almost drifting across to too far from where he was, he stepped forward, the flame close to his chest.

“Excuse me!” he called, his voice breaking the eerie silence of night, and the figure paused. “Painted Lady?”

It turned to him and even from his place on the shore Daichi could see the red curls of what seems like face paint across the spirit’s cheeks and on its lips; it’s skin was deathly pale, and it seemed to almost glow as it headed back towards Daichi. Daichi stepped forward until he met the spirit at the shore, cool water lapping at his toes.

“Thank you,” Daichi told the spirit, diminishing the flame by curling his outstretched palm into a fist. “For rescuing Kageyama and I.”

The spirit smiled at him, but it seemed like it flickered, and Daichi wasn’t quite sure if he was seeing things or he was just really, really tired. Slowly, the spirit leaned forward to ghost its lips over Daichi’s forehead, and the male closed his eyes instinctively.

“Whomever or whatever that finds themselves on the shores of Jang Hui is subject to my protection,” the spirit spoke, and Daichi was startled by how soft and inherently indeterminable it’s voice sounded. “You are no exception Daichi, and neither is Kageyama. I hope you find what you’re searching for on the shores here.”

Daichi furrowed his brow as the spirit smiled down at him. “I’m searching for something?” He questioned, and in that moment he swore the most infuriating thing about this entire interaction was the fact that the spirit extremely beautiful, and had to think for a solid thirty seconds before forming any words. “What am I searching for?”

The spirit smiled again, silver eyelashes casting over warm honey eyes, the veil falling in front of its face, as it raised a hand to smooth Daichi’s hair.

“Whatever you are searching for,” The spirit began gently, it’s voice as soft as cotton. “I’m sure you shall find it here.”

“What if I was searching for you?” Daichi blurted out, and the spirit’s eyes widened in surprise.

It’s eyes immediately turned dark as it forced a smile on its face, turning away from Daichi swiftly and taking a few steps back towards Jang Hui village. “If it is me you seek,” The spirit spoke carefully. “I suggest you stop looking.”

With a wave of long, flowing sleeves, a mist of water easily covered the spirit’s figure from head to toe and made Daichi squeeze his eyes shut from the water. When he opened them again, the mist was dissipating and the spirit that once stood before him was gone, and an eerie glow had emitted from the town across the river from the shore.

So he was searching for something, but Daichi already had an inkling of knowing that. But what exactly was it that Daichi was searching for? He wondered.

Before he could dwell on it further, there was a tinkling of bells and Kageyama poked his head out of the curtain, and, for the first time, Daichi saw the childishness of Kageyama’s face; nearly twenty and yet still not quite a man. He smiled softly at Kageyama.

“Did I wake you up?” Daichi whispered to him.

Kageyama shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “No…” he mumbled sleepily. “Nightmare did.”

Daichi strode over to Kageyama and placed a hand on his back, gently nudging him to go back inside of the cave. “Come on, kiddo, I’ll make some tea and you can get back to sleep.”

“Jasmine tea?” Kageyama questioned as he let the curtain flap back into place.

“Of course.” Daichi replied with a smile as picked the matched set of a damaged teapot and chipped cups from a make-shift shelf.


	3. on destiny and fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “ sometimes life is like this tunnel.  
> you can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel,  
> but if you keep moving,  
> you will come to a better place ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is such a slow burn fic and t'sonly just occurred to me that suga can be seen as ooc — i, personally, don't think he is, but it's a matter of opinion.
> 
> enjoy!

Travellers came in and out of Jang Hui all the time, yet Suga had never seen one as peculiar as the girl he found sleeping inside a bush while on his run back from the river-town.

 She had a mess of curly orange hair, which she had plaited somewhat messily and lopsided, as one was about an inch shorter than the other. She looked about fourteen, and, shockingly, she wore Earth Kingdom clothes; honestly it was a miracle she hadn’t been jumped or captured by the Fire Nation yet. Her skin was tanned and covered in thousands of beautiful freckles, if a bit dirty from what Suga assumed was an inability to wash properly while on the run.

He bit his lip and stripped down to his underwear beneath his own robes, removing his Fire Nation clothing and folding it gently, leaving the pile by her feet; which he noticed were bare and covered in dirt.

The girl didn’t stir, and Suga smiled, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to her forehead before standing up straight again and moving on his way. Unaware of the fact that sleep-hazed amber eyes were watching him carefully. 

*

The spirit that had left her the clothes was beautiful, Natsu knew that. And she was famous among the rinky-dink village of Jang Hui too, having protected the river for as long as any of the elders there could remember. If anyone could help her find her brother, it was the Painted Lady.

She sat on the dock of Jang Hui, trying to fasten the belt tight enough so the clothes didn’t slip down herself, the spirit was tall, Natsu had decided, and yet it had still given her the clothes off of its own back. Her feet dangled over the edge of the wooden slats, just a little bit too short for her toes to be submerged properly, yet still she sat there, because she didn’t exactly have anything better to do anyway.

So she observed the townsfolk.

There was the strange man who rowed her out to Jang Hui from the shore, who also simultaneously ran one of the seafood shops. There was the kind old lady who had stopped her and handed her pins for the too baggy clothes and patted her on the head, assuming her parents had been killed, and sent her on her way. There were the children that flew kites, and swam and kicked around a ball that avoided her completely. And there were the strange men who sometimes visited together from the shore, one wore worn Fire Nation robes and the other seemed to wear blue beneath his robe.

Nobody really payed attention to her anymore.

The sun dipped low beyond the horizon and cast the sky the same colour as her hair and every shade in between, and people headed in for the night, hoping and praying that the Painted Lady would visit and heal their sick or injured and give them solutions to their problems. Natsu, on the other hand, settled with her back against the statue of the Painted Lady, clutching her bag of meagre belongings close to her chest, her eyes wide and searching for the spirit as the sky turned inky black.

It didn’t take long for Natsu to corner the spirit. It spotted her as it was leaving someone’s house, and looked vaguely surprised to see the girl. Yet, it smiled anyway and walked over to her with light-treaded footsteps, and Natsu stood up to meet them; her bag thumping on the wooden floor beneath her.

“The clothes suit you well,” The spirit said softly as soon as Natsu was close enough. “I’m glad.”

Natsu nodded once before biting her lip, and looking into the spirit’s eyes; something that her mother said was a very rude thing to do when asking for a favour, spirit, human or otherwise. “Painted Lady,” Natsu spoke quietly. “My name is Hinata Natsu, from Kei Lan, and I have come searching for help. Or, more specifically, for someone.”

The spirit’s head titled in interest. “You search for someone, or something, too? My, how peculiar.” Natsu frowned at the spirit’s statement, but didn’t have much time to take it in before it was speaking again. “Well, whom is it you seek?”

“My brother,” Natsu replied breathlessly, clutching a curled fist to her chest. “He was captured by the Fire Nation because he can earth bend along with my father. I’m trying to find someone to help me find him, and I thought a spirit might be my best hope.” Natsu bowed deeply, her arms pressed tightly against her sides as she bit back tears. “Please, River Spirit, help me find my brother.”

Hands reached out gently to take Natsu’s head, slowly guiding her body upwards until she was looking the spirit in the eye, and she relaxed visibly beneath the warm, honey coloured orbs. The spirit seemed to glow, Natsu noticed, but it was somehow comforting.

“I cannot help you myself, Natsu,” The Painted Lady spoke. “I am but a spirit sworn to protect a town from threat.”

Natsu’s face crumbled, all the maturity and composure she held cracked away and shattered like glass, she reached out desperately to grab the spirit’s cloak. “Please, there must be something you can do,” She tried desperately, her fingers balling the fabric beneath them into fists. Tears pricked in her eyes like needles, and, this time, she couldn’t help but let them fall and leave tracks on her dirt-smudged cheeks, nor she could stop her body from visibly shaking. “Anything! I’d give my soul to have my brother back; you can take it if you want. Please, help me, I’m desperate. Please."

The spirit placed its hands on Natsu’s shoulders, not making a move to remove Natsu’s grip from its clothes. “Hush, Natsu, do not worry. I will give you two things,” The spirit spoke. “Advice and help. I do not wish for your soul – I’m not as fickle of a spirit as that.” The spirit gripped the end of its left-hand sleeve in one hand and carefully dabbed at Natsu’s cheeks and eyes, careful not to rub or cause irritation. “Dry your tears.”

Natsu sniffed and drew the back of her sleeve across her nose. “What do you have to tell me spirit?” she inquired tearfully.

“Firstly, my advice to you; You are strong, Natsu, and you have travelled far for the one you love dearly, do not let that drive go out, and keep searching, both for yourself and for the someone you’re looking for. Do not give up.” The spirit smiled at this. “Secondly, my help; not too far from the shore, is a cave covered by a green curtain, go there the day after tomorrow and you will find three males waiting for you; a water bender, a fire bender and an earth bender.”

“A fire bender?” Natsu questioned, her voice raising an octave.

“Do not worry, he can be trusted,” The spirit assured her. “He rescued the water bender after all.”

Natsu looked up hopefully. “He did?”

“He did,” The spirit agreed, nodding once before it looked up to the sky. “My time is running out here. But, remember, Natsu, keep searching. Farewell.”

Before Natsu could reply, the spirit had turned and jumped into the water, disappearing in a cloud of fine, white mist which revealed an empty space where the spirit should’ve been after it cleared.

Natsu stumbled back into the statue and slid down the length of it, collapsing against it with her bag to the side of her, grinning happily. Things must be going her way, finally. After all, she had a spirit on her side.

*

Daichi learned a lot about Kageyama by sparring with him, such as the fact that Kageyama always faced things head on, and used a mixture of easy to hard water bending techniques. In turn, Kageyama learned a lot about Daichi through sparring, such as Daichi always looked from every angle before reacting, and that he was slightly heavier with his right foot, possibly from an injury in his childhood.

Kageyama’s hands lifted quickly in a wave-like motion before he placed his hands in front of his face, the water disappearing the moment Daichi’s fire touched it. In fact, Daichi was already at a disadvantage from sparring Kageyama surrounded by water.

They circled around each other, Daichi with a hand positioned close to his chest and another out in front of him, both of them wearing the same gesture of the index and middle finger pressed together, with the rest folded down, and Kageyama with is hands held lower, closer to his abdomen, the fingers were lazy and as fluid as the water. Daichi moved first, his pointed fingers changing into fists as he circled his arms once before thrusting out his right hand and stepping forward with the swirling of his body and feet, right foot forward, a ball of fire aimed for Kageyama’s unprotected area; his head.

As always, fire bending felt like much like breathing. It was warm and seemed to combine with the blood and oxygen flowing through his veins, at the same time he felt something warm and bubbling curl in his abdomen; like coal giving flames to his fire. He always watched his superiors and fellow firebenders fight with their anger and hatred, but what Daichi felt was not hatred nor anger – it was softer than that, and a comforting, fuzzy presence compared to the true, unadulterated anger he had experienced only a handful of times.

Kageyama’s eyes darted to the water, and he stepped forward with his left, quickly drawing water from his pouch to create a mound of frozen ice. The fire doesn’t even melt it. With a hand held as if to steady the mound, Kageyama made a repeated chopping motion across it, sending icy cold discs directly to Daichi’s face and stomach. Daichi turned, moving his arms in a circular motion before kicking off, his right leg making a beautiful arc of fire which melts the disks mid-air, finishing by stepping forward and breathing heavily.

Kageyama’s bending was different, and not only because their elements opposed each other. Kageyama held the ruthlessness that the water possessed, like a calm sea that could turn for the worse at any moment or like a clear, trickling river with a dangerous undercurrent. Just as Kageyama’s outward emotions practically oozed impassiveness that drew you in, his strike was as ruthless as the water that he controlled, and his power was incomparable to any water bender Daichi had faced before.

“Tired already?” Kageyama teased, and Daichi grinned, already back in a fighting stance.

“Not a chance.” He breathed, and he hardly had time to defend himself with a protective wall of fire before Kageyama was sending deadly icicles at him, stepping closer with each slicing motion. Daichi drew in a deep breath, ducked down and flipped over, bouncing off his hands to propel himself while his left foot was sent at Kageyama with the curving motion, before he spun once and turned on his heel, pointing his fists at where Kageyama’s throat should be.

Daichi blinked at nothing, the air cooling around him.

Before Daichi could take in his surroundings there was a cool pressure on his ankle, and his eyes widened in horror when he saw the tentacle of water wrapped around him. While getting caught up in the battle, he hadn’t registered his fatal mistake; he had moved further enough away from the shore for Kageyama to get behind him. He gulped.

Rule one of sparring a water bender; Never let them get close to the water, hold the better ground.

Daichi yelled as the tentacle tugged harshly backwards, sending him sprawling to the floor and his teeth knocking together painfully as his chin was brought down hard on a stone. He yelped again as he felt his leg being pulled upwards and began struggling as the shock from the attack had worn off, he stopped when he was a good metre off the ground, staring down at the harsh ground as he spun like a pendulum.

He was turned to face Kageyama, who was wearing a cocky smile on his face as Daichi himself scowled, Kageyama pushed Daichi’s arms and he spun again, the world travelling around and around him in a slow blur.

“Give up yet?” Kageyama questioned innocently, ignoring Daichi’s dirty look.

Kageyama shifted his hands, controlling two more of the tendrils to wrap like coils around Daichi’s shoulders, pulling him upright as the tentacle that had previously been holding his leg reformed into the mess of water surrounding the raven-haired boy in the shallows of Jang Hui river.

“Thanks,” Daichi told him bitterly still being held a metre off of the ground. “I was getting a bit light headed. Now,” He fixed a glare on Kageyama. “Drop me.”

Instead of looking threatened Kageyama just shrugged.

“If you say so,” he replied, and, before he knew it, Daichi had hit the floor with his feet, knees buckling under the pressure that sent him backwards and onto his behind.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Daichi grumbled, before Kageyama’s hand was thrust into his face. The older male took it and Kageyama pulled him up with surprising ease, and only once Daichi was upright again and brushing off his clothes were the two aware of someone clapping behind them.

The man sitting on the boulder was broad and wide, and his clothes – a green, sleeveless thing with a low-cut down the chest and a belt securing the two sides together, and typical baggy yellow pants – practically reeked that he was from the earth kingdom. He had grey-stripped white hair that seemed to imitate a horned-owlbear, and startlingly bird-like eyes, the smile that was directed at the two was almost mad in looks and flashed dangerously sharp canines.

“That was amazing!” The man cheered, and his voice was as rough as the stone he sat on; though it seemed to hold a haunting of childishness. “You two are very skilled benders!”

“How did you find us?” Kageyama questioned lowly, stepping forward with his hands raised. In an instant, he was ankle deep in solid stone and staring down, horror struck.

“Ah, ah!” The male tutted, hopping down from his stone. “I don’t mean you any harm, I came to join you actually.”

Daichi glared. “Why in the name of Raava would you trap him in stone if you wanted to be his friend?” Daichi questioned in disbelief, and as the man shrugged, Daichi’s mouth fell open.

“I dunno,” The man admitted as he shrugged again and shook his head. “Precaution?” He suggested, cocking his head to the side as he gazed directly at Daichi.

Daichi scowled and stepped forward to either punch the annoyingly frustrating man in the face or to shoot a fireball at his face; he didn’t know which, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it, before he too found his feet sinking into what was once dry dirt.

The man grinned and walked towards Daichi, pressing his face nose-to-nose until he had no choice but to stare into unsettling amber eyes. The man grinned and leaned back slightly before he lifted a hand and bopped Daichi’s nose with his index finger. With that, Daichi lost it. He brought his hand up, fist flaming to punch the stranger and hopefully burn off his stupid, stupid eyebrows, and stupid, stupid hair. Until he found both of them encased in stone. Daichi continued his movement but instead of punching the man, he slammed his rock-encased fist against the stranger’s head. The man didn’t even wince as the rock crumbled from his hand.

“Just as I thought,” Daichi drawled sarcastically, stretching out his fingers. “You have a rock for a head.”

Instead of growing irritated or annoyed the man grinned again, his lips parting to flash pearly white teen as he clutched his stomach with both arms, physically kneeling over from the laughter coursing through his body. Daichi gaped at the man before slowly turning to Kageyama, the same look of utter disbelief written all over the other’s face, and, if Daichi looked close enough, he could detect a hint of fear in Kageyama’s eyes.

“Oh man!” The male wheezed, leaning up from his hunched over position to shuffle backwards onto the boulder again, his body still shaking. “That was hilarious, dude! Though I should probably let you two go now,” The male said thoughtfully and he made a rising gesture with his hand. Both Kageyama and Daichi popped out of the dirt like a spring board, and the fire bender had to catch the water bender from toppling over. “That’s better! Now, since we’re going to be to be travelling together, It’s only polite that we know each other’s names.”

“We never said you’d be travelling with us,” Kageyama protested, rubbing his wrists and causing the bells to chime in what, to Daichi, sounded like a warning.  “In fact, we never even mentioned travelling.”

“But you will,” The male insisted. “The Gurus and an airbender told me so!”

Kageyama raised an eyebrow. “A Guru and an airbender told you?” He repeated, the words escaping his mouth like they were foreign to him. “The air benders haven’t left their temples in years. How did you manage to talk to one?”

The stranger rolled his eyes as if it were obvious. “I visited a temple, obviously. The Western One. I met a Monk named Tendou Satori and the airbender Haiba Lev, and they gave me guidance.”

“You met one of the last air benders?” Daichi repeated, and the man nodded, grinning brightly. “But they hardly let anyone into their temples, not after the Day of the Comet and the Temple Massacre.”

The male grinned, before winking at Daichi.

“I have a friend who knows Lev personally,” the man replied slyly, before he brightened up, his hands resting on the knees of his crossed legs. “I’m Bokuto Koutarou by the way. Earth bending master and travelling-do-good-er!” he pumped a fist in the air, eyes squeezed tightly shut, seemingly waiting for applause; Kageyama weakly clapped his hands together, but Daichi reached over and slowly lowered Kageyama’s hands. Bokuto opened his eyes and waved his hand around in a seemingly random gesture. “And you two gentlemen are?”

Kageyama raised his eyebrows at Daichi, who stepped forward with a sigh, his hand outstretched.

“My name is Sawamura Daichi,” Daichi managed to say before Bokuto had jumped off of the rock once again and had pounced on him in a massive, bone-crushing bear hug. It took all of Daichi’s might to stay up right. “Please get off of me.” He wheezed, and the man obliged before taking Daichi’s hand and shaking vigorously.

“I am Kageyama Tobio,” Kageyama said quietly, seemingly unnerved by Bokuto’s friendliness. “Please don’t hug me.” He added, holding up a hand in a gesture to stop as Bokuto leaned forward, his arms outstretched.

Bokuto grinned and shrugged, instead opting to slug Kageyama happily in the shoulder, the unusually painful play-punch being a kind, friendly gesture. Once Bokuto moved away, Kageyama rolled his shoulder once or twice. 

Bokuto, on the other hand, seemed to be looking for something.

Daichi frowned. “Uh, are you looking for something?” Daichi questioned the man slowly, and Bokuto paused to look up at Daichi, his lips pressed into a straight line.

“There should be another two people with you,” Bokuto said, once again peering around the area. “Where are they?”

Kageyama froze, before he turned slowly to Bokuto. “What do you mean by another two?” He questioned, and Daichi noticed his voice was unnaturally wavering.

“There should be another water bender,” Bokuto said, before turning around and cupping his chin with his hand, the other rested on his hip. “And a young girl, just a kid really, about,” Bokuto turned again to gesture just below Kageyama’s shoulder. “This tall. Mad red hair. Seen her around?” He questioned.

“Never seen her, you must have the wrong people,” Daichi replied dryly, placing his arm around Bokuto’s shoulder to turn him away from his and Kageyama’s beach. Leading him around the corner of the cliff. “You can leave now and be on your way.”

“But,” Bokuto tried, his brows furrowing in confusion. “We’re supposed to travel together. You and Kageyama are supposed to do something, and I’m meant to go with the other water bender. The Gurus told me,” Bokuto turned Daichi around and gripped him firmly by his shoulders, bowing his head slightly to look Daichi in the eyes, and Daichi found himself unable to look away. “It’s my destiny.” He removed his right hand from Daichi’s shoulder and pointed at Daichi’s chest. “And it’s your destiny too.”

Daichi’s tongue was heavy and his mouth felt like he had swallowed a desert. “My destiny?” Daichi managed, his voice a hoarse whisper as Bokuto leaned closer until they were almost nose-to-nose.

“Yep,” Bokuto replied, and his voice was husky and low, seeming to hold all the answers to the questions Daichi never thought to ask himself. “Your destiny. And you can’t run from destiny, Daichi, it will always find you. Your fate is your own to choose; you may run and hide from fate, you may bend it to your own will. But destiny is different, you cannot change your destiny Daichi, and the repercussions are great if you run from it.”

“So I have no choice but to join you on your quest?” Daichi guessed, and Bokuto’s serious expression cracked, giving way to an almost cynical smile.

“No,” Bokuto said, leaning way again. “I have no choice but to join you on your quest, Daichi.”

He grinned and the atmosphere around them shattered, drifting away in the wind like the seeds of a dandelion weed, planting thoughts through his mind as they left.

Daichi swallowed. His mind suddenly felt very loud. “Oh, I see,” he mumbled, huffing when Bokuto grinned and smacked his back good naturedly.

“Awesome!” Bokuto cheered. “Now, do you have anything to eat?” He asked, peering at Daichi hopefully. “I’ve not eaten anything in days and I'm starving!”

Daichi sighed and gestured for Bokuto to follow, which he did so happily, barely giving Kageyama’s appalled look a glance as he gestured towards the drape-covered cave. Bokuto chirped a bright, ‘Thank you!’ in a sing-song voice before he charged into the cave, both remaining males wincing as they heard something shatter. Daichi hoped it wasn’t the teapot.

“What’s he doing back?” Kageyama hissed at Daichi, who had lead them a few feet further from the cave. “He’s going to give us trouble, Daichi.”

Daichi sighed, resting his head in his hands. “I don’t know, okay? I just feel that this is something we have to do,” Daichi replied breathlessly, sighing again when Kageyama gave him a dubious expression. “I mean it. We were meant to meet Bokuto, or I was anyway.”

Kageyama looked away and towards the cave, his brows furrowing in concentration as he thought. It was a minute or two before Kageyama looked back again and nodded once. “No… I understand what you mean. He gives off this… aura. I have no idea if you can sense it, but it’s warm and inviting.”

“I can’t,” Daichi said with a small shake of his head. “But I’ll take your word for it.” He glanced back to the cave. “We should probably go in there before he breaks something else.”

Kageyama nodded in agreement and followed Daichi in. He took one look at the occupied seats at the small table before staring blankly into space and walking right back outside again. Daichi, on the other hand, decided for the gaping-fish method.

Bokuto looked up at Kageyama’s departure and grinned brightly through the tangerine he was eating.

“This was the girl I was telling you about!” Bokuto began amiably, gesturing to the person next to him. “She’s looking for her brother! Girl down, second water bender to go!”

“No,” Daichi said quietly. “No. I refuse. Taking you on a quest is one thing, but I am not taking a ten-year-old on a quest.” Daichi said louder, and the girl glared fiercely at him, her hands curled into fists, and Daichi hardly realised that the girl had thrown an empty wooden bowl at his head in frustration. He wasn’t sure if the cave was shaking slightly, or if his vision was blurring.

“I am not ten,” she protested. “I am almost fifteen! I’m old enough to go on quests!”

Daichi sighed. “I’m not taking you away from your parents,” he said softly to the girl, and her hands clenched, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Look, kid, I know you’re here for a good reason and all—” Daichi had already forgotten what Bokuto shad proclaimed in his shock. “—but you can’t come with us. You’re still young and you have school to think about, and your parents must be worried sick. I can’t take you away from that.”

The girl looked down at the table, and, this time, her brown eyes were soft and filled gently with tears, her hands loosened and hung limply at her sides. She couldn’t look Daichi in the eye. “But…” she began, and her voice was as soft as a feather as she raised her head, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “My parents have already been taken away from me.”


	4. the difference of waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " no matter how things seem to change;  
> never forget who you are "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've noticed that chapters as long as these take me about a day or two to write, maybe longer, so hopefully i can start writing longer ones if i keep up the update schedule!
> 
> daisuga song — [just hold on : louis tomlinson and steve aoiki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6bRNTnrbvM)

Natsu was curled protectively against Daichi’s side, and, though he tried to stop himself, he couldn’t help but run his hands through the girls’ hair. It was matted, and slightly knotty, but the places that weren’t were as soft as cotton, and Daichi was thankful that Natsu had enough sense to pack a comb when she left Kei Lan.

It had only been a day or two since Natsu and Bokuto had joined their rag-tag bunch of misfits, but they had settled in wonderfully. The only con (aside from the fact that Bokuto was as hard-headed as he looked and Natsu seemed to contain the furies of a thousand suns) was that, now, since their party had doubled in size, they all had to share the same furs. And, although it was warm, and sometimes it got too warm, he had the misfortune of being stuck between Bokuto and Natsu.

Natsu was the daintier sleeper. She didn’t snore, but she had a habit of fixing to Daichi’s side no matter how he moved. Bokuto slept like a log that wouldn’t stop moving around. His elbow had dug into Daichi’s other side twice already, and his head was lolled against the brunet’s shoulder, snoring loudly into his ear.

Whenever Bokuto moved or snored Daichi had the overwhelming urge to suffocate him with his robes. But Daichi sighed and the moment passed, and once again he was staring up at the roof of the cave.

He turned, unable to keep still in his restlessness, and his eyes widened. Kageyama’s body had disappeared from the other side of Natsu’s. Slowly, he managed to pull himself from the furs without waking either of the two whom were still sleeping (thankfully they were both heavy sleepers) and crept out towards the curtain, not wanting to put on his robes for what would be a simple ‘recon’ mission and decided to stay in just his undergarments.

The air was musty and warm, and he had hardly any need for his robes anyway, lest he wanted to get them dirty. He drew in the warm air like a dragon, and he felt the warmth tingle from his nose to the tips of his fingers, a flame begging to be lit. Instead, he clenched his fists and walked towards the curtain, about to push it aside before his ears perked in interest at the sound of a voice and his hand fell to his side.

“Suga, he’s been here for two weeks now, you have to talk to him,” Kageyama’s voice pleaded from outside the curtain and Daichi stilled. “You can’t hide behind that mask forever.”

“I can’t yet, Tobio,” A soft, yet familiar voice came, and Daichi shifted slightly. “I just… can’t.”

“Just because Daichi is a fire bender, doesn’t mean he’s going to hurt you, Koushi,” he heard Kageyama sigh and his brown creased in confusion. Who was Kageyama talking to? “He hasn’t hurt me. Nor Natsu, not Bokuto. How long is it going to take?”

Kageyama’s last comment sounded tired and weary, and Daichi wouldn’t be surprised if the boy was grabbing at this ‘Suga’ and ‘Koushi’ person’s sleeve.

There was a pregnant pause and Daichi held a baited breath, trying his best to stay silent. 

“As long as I need.” The person replied finally, and Daichi exhaled lightly, shuffling back.

“Why are you afraid of him?” Kageyama questioned, his voice terse and laced with frustration. He seemed to be tapping his foot. “He hasn’t done anyone any harm.”

“You know very well, why, Kageyama Tobio,” The stranger snapped back, and Daichi heard a sharp intake of breath. “Are you sure they’re asleep?” The person questioned, voice lower. “Are you really sure?”

“Definitely,” Kageyama replied. “They were all sleeping like logs.”

“You’re sure?” 

“Why are you so afraid?” Kageyama asked again, barely disguised frustration in his voice, and the air froze in the snap of a finger.

“Because you don’t understand!” The person yelled, their voice cutting through the air as sharply as a sword sliced through grass, and Daichi jumped, knocking his bare feet into the stone behind him, and letting out a groan before he pursed his lips shut, hoping the two hadn’t heard him. 

There was the sound of footsteps approaching the cave and Daichi stood as still as a mouse cornered by a cat, and watched in horror as the person drew back the green curtain and glared violently, but, open realising who each other were, both stared back at each other with wide, curious eyes, before the stranger turned to leave.

Daichi scrambled from his stillness. “Painted Lady!” Daichi cried, pushing past the curtain. “Or… I guess… Suga?”

The spirit – or not quite anymore, Daichi realised – stopped in his tracks, head bowed and hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Do _not_ call me Suga.”

Daichi faltered at the hostility in the person’s tone, before scowling and stepping forward. “Then what should I call you?” he questioned, trying to bite back a bitter tone.

“Nothing,” The stranger replied. “I’m leaving.”

“Sugawara!" Kageyama hissed.

“You can’t just leave!” Daichi said loudly, once again stopping the stranger in their path. “You rescued me, and you rescued Kageyama, you owe it to me to let me thank you personally, and not just when you’re dressed up as a spirit.”

“I owe you nothing!” Sugawara snapped, spinning around and throwing his right hand across his body. The water crashed against the shore in a vicious wave, and Daichi took a step back. “I owe you nothing,” he repeated, softer, but still as dangerous. “Leave me be and go back to sleep. This conversation is over.”

“Suga—” Kageyama tried.

“Over.” The male repeated to Kageyama, glaring him down. The blue-eyed boy nodded and took several steps back.

Sugawara turned to leave, and Daichi felt anger, the first traces of it at least, bubbling up beneath his skin, and it was that which drove him to stride forward and take Sugawara’s pale wrist in his larger, tanned and scarred hand, and it was Sugawara’s furious glare when he turned back that fuelled him forwards. 

“You can’t just leave and pretend like this didn’t happen,” Daichi hissed, hardly realising that his grip on Sugawara’s wrist had gotten a fraction tighter as the male tried to pull away. “I don’t understand why you’re so afraid of me. What have I ever done to you?”

“Let me go, Daichi,” Sugawara said, trying to pry Daichi’s hand away from his skin with his hand, and Daichi noticed the pads of his fingers and his palms were worn from hard work and strenuous labour. “Now.”

“No, I won’t,” Daichi bit back, this time intentionally tightening his grip. “I’m not letting you run away again.”

“Let go of me!” Sugawara cried, and it was then that Daichi noticed the true fear in his eyes and the way his fingers pulled helplessly at Daichi’s unmoving hand, trying desperately to throw it off and free himself. The water crashed at the shore again, but this time, instead of falling back into place, it froze in sharp, deadly icicles, all pointed towards Daichi and blocking Kageyama from them. “Let go!” He said again, and, this time, Daichi obeyed, releasing Sugawara’s hand as if it were red hot.

“Just…” Daichi tried breathlessly, holding his hand out, but unwilling to touch Sugawara again. “Just… Don’t go.” 

Sugawara looked at him, a nasty scowl stretched across his lips before he brought his robe sleeve up to his face, dragging it across his skin. The make-up and face paint smudged scarily across his nose, and his lip-paint had streaked onto his cheek, but he still glared at Daichi through it; knowing that even if he looked like a mess, he would definitely still seem scary. And he was right.

“Was this what you wanted?” Sugawara tested lowly. “My name is Sugawara Koushi and I hate you,” he announced, and Daichi believed it from the way his voice didn’t waver at all and how his stance stayed firmly in place. “I hate you, I hated you and I will continue to hate you. As long as I shall live.”

Daichi’s stomach bubbled again, and he felt his hands grow warm, though he clenched his jaw and curled his hands. “Why?” he asked, his voice just a rumble about the silence of the night. “Why do you hate me Sugawara?”

“Because you are a despicable human being,” Sugawara spat as he stepped closer. “You are untrustworthy, you have killed people, you have ruined people, you’ve ruined me, you pollute rivers and burn towns, and you disregard everyone’s emotions except for your own.” Sugawara sprayed the words like venom, and with every reason he stepped closer to Daichi until he was jabbing at the taller male’s chest like he was trying to stab a hole right through him. He should’ve done that, Daichi thought, it would’ve been less painful than the words were. “You are terrible and horrible.”

“I’ve never killed anyone,” Daichi said feebly.

“Just because you have never killed anyone with your own hands doesn’t mean you have never killed someone.” Sugawara pointed out. “You can kill people in different ways. By following along with whatever rules your Nation put in place without swaying is just as bad as killing; because you are doing nothing, you are condoning it and allowing it to happen.”

“I didn’t agree,” Daichi insisted, his voice growing stronger as something – a feeling, or an idea, maybe – itched at the back of his head. “That’s why I left.”

“Why did it take you so long?” Sugawara bit back, stepping closer do that his face was closer to Daichi’s trying furiously to glare him down.

“Because…” Daichi began, before his eyes widened and that itch turned into a bubble which grew and floated to the front of his mind and popped, the reason springing up from the remains of that bubble as brightly as a lightbulb, and coating his senses with an epiphany that he hadn’t realised was so blatantly obvious. “I get it now,” he said, and he looked into Sugawara’s soft brown eyes and saw anger and the colour red. “You hate me because I’m from the Fire Nation.”

Daichi watched as Sugawara stood up straighter, almost bristling with an arched back like a tomcat at his words as he scowled, the veil of the hat caught under his feet as he stepped closer again, and he hardly noticed that the article of clothing had been so unceremoniously ripped off.

“I don’t hate you because of that,” Sugawara spat. “I hate you because—”

“You don’t know me,” Daichi announced loudly and Sugawara faltered for a second, the scowl on his face falling, eyes widening. “You don’t. You haven’t even talked to me; you can’t know me.”

“Maybe I don’t know you, Daichi, but I know your type.” Sugawara growled, shaking his head lightly to recover from Daichi’s statement.

Daichi stood up straight and held his arms out in a welcome, inviting gesture, Sugawara blinking at him with confusion and mild annoyance. “Then tell me.” Daichi said. “What is my type, Sugawara Koushi?”

Sugawara looked speechless and took a single step back, hands shaking as he let them drop to his sides. Kageyama stepped up beside him, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sugawara didn’t react, and just kept staring at Daichi, warm, honey eyes meeting dark brown ones.

“Come on, Suga,” Kageyama egged softly. “Give Daichi a chance, okay? Just one. That’s all I ask. One chance.”

Sugawara paused and looked between Kageyama and Daichi before looking away and nodding once, slowly and discretely, something you’d miss if you hadn’t been looking properly. “One chance.” Sugawara agreed, and then Kageyama looked to Daichi.

“One chance?”

Daichi nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine…”

“Good,” Kageyama turned to lead Suga back inside, ushering him in the cave before looking back to Daichi with a somewhat grave expression. “One chance. Don’t screw this up.”

 _Well_ , Daichi thought. _If that wasn’t a threat he didn’t know what was._

*

Sparring Sugawara was different from sparring Kageyama, Daichi realised as he dived out of the way of yet another hail of deadly sharp icicles.

Reason one) Kageyama rarely used any water bending moves that could kill him; it was just sparing after all, and he knew he had the upper ground, Reason two) Kageyama didn’t try to kill him with said water bending moves, and, Reason three) Kageyama hardly ever looked like he was having fun as he hurled dangerous, sharp objects at him. It was safe to say that Daichi preferred Kageyama to Sugawara in every way.

Though, if he had to choose between fighting either of them, head on, on the shore of the beach in an Agni Kai, then Daichi would drown himself; for, one, both were freakishly scary when they needed to be, and, two, both of them would eat him alive.

It had been three days, or there about, since Daichi and Sugawara agreed to one chance, and it seemed like every time Daichi looked around Sugawara was glaring at him, and it really freaked him out. Upon asking Kageyama, politely, What the hell was his problem? Kageyama just shrugged and replied he didn’t know, until he got a far-away, concerned look on his face, and looked over to Sugawara — Daichi assumed that Kageyama didn’t know what made Sugawara hate him so much, but he looked concerned to find out, and that made Daichi nervous.

Another somewhat strange aspect about Sugawara’s sparring style, at least with him, was that it seemed like he was using one attack after another, not giving Daichi enough room or time to breathe and fire back. And, when he did manage to get an attack in, Sugawara always wore badly masked shock and shaking hands.

He assumed that whatever the reason that made Sugawara hate him so much was not good, and it had something to do with fire bending – maybe not his specifically, but in general.

Sugawara managed to knock Daichi to back, sending the air from his lungs with a gasp as he watched Sugawara’s water hover by his throat, and some part of him waited for the killing strike but Sugawara drew back and the moment was over. Daichi sat up with a huff, trying to draw more air into his lungs and he watched Sugawara. The ashy-haired male was pulling the spilled water from the ground and changing the ice he’d frozen back into water before transferring the liquid into the water of the river with swift arm movements, and Daichi watched in fascination.

Sugawara caught him looking and frowned, dropping his hands. “What are you looking at me like that for?” He asked, sounding somewhat annoyed.

Daichi shrugged, pulling his legs from under him to cross them, his hands rested on his knees, fingers splayed across the fabric of his trousers. “Nothing,” Daichi told him before smiling sheepishly. “I mean… I was looking at your water bending. You’re really good, are you a master back in your Tribe?” he asked, and Sugawara’s slight and barely noticeable smile fell into a frown.

“I… I don’t have a Tribe and I’m no means a master.” Sugawara informed him, turning away to gaze across the water. “I mean… well, I guess technically I am considered one… Kageyama too.”

“Really?” Daichi questioned, his brows raising in interest. “That’s really good!”

Sugawara chuckled darkly, lifting a hand to hug his chest, rubbing his opposite upper arm in an effort to comfort. “Oh, well… Not really.” He said, and Daichi stood up then, slowly, so as not to disturb Sugawara in his state. He took a couple of steps forward before he stopped. “Me and Kageyama, we’re the last water benders in the Southern Water Tribe apart from our parents. I mean—In Kageyama’s Tribe.”

Daichi was curious about the last statement but didn’t question it; he decided that the last statement was a whole different can of worms that he didn’t want to open, and it seemed Sugawara didn’t want to open either.

“You’re really good at water bending either way,” Daichi assured him, jumping at the opportunity to finally bond with Sugawara on some level, no matter how small. “You must’ve practiced really hard. And it payed off.”

“Thank you, Sawamura,” Sugawara told him and Daichi winced – ever since he and Sugawara had come to their agreement, Sugawara had begun calling Daichi by his surname, but all that served for was to bring back bad memories. “I can teach you if you’d like.” Sugawara suggested and Daichi looked up in surprise.

Sugawara was looking at him expectantly, and Daichi pointed to himself feebly.

“Who? Me?” he questioned, and Sugawara rolled his eyes, a small smile curving at his lips.

“Of course you, we’re the only ones here,”

“But- But I’m not a water bender,” Daichi pointed out and Sugawara shrugged. “Or the Avatar." 

“That doesn’t matter. Despite the fact that the elements are seen as separate, they are actually connected and intertwined together, so, while I, as a water bender, can’t bend fire, I can still take techniques from your bending positions and movements and incorporate them into my own.” Sugawara explained to the male who looked on in a daze where everything both made sense and didn’t. “No element can survive on its own,” he continued, gesturing around him. “Earth can’t survive without the pressure of fire, water can’t survive without the push of the air, fire can’t be controlled without it’s opposite fire, and air can’t be tamed without it’s opposite earth.”

“I don’t…” Daichi trailed off, but Sugawara shook his head and took an earth bending stance.

“Because of the Avatar’s existence, you believe that although the elements are harmonious they are disparate, and this is wrong,” Sugawara explained to him, and, as he moved his feet forward, sliding across the earth, his hands held as freely as he would while waterbending, the ground cracked, and, from that crack sprouted fresh water. “The Avatar may be able to bend all of the elements but any bender can use the bending techniques of other elements to further their own element.”

Daichi linked his fingers together and held them up to Sugawara curiously. “So, the elements are interconnected,” Daichi queried. “Like this?”

Sugawara nodded, a grin pulling at his lips. “Exactly,” he nodded. “Because of that, I can teach you water bending breathing techniques,” Sugawara offered. “So that you can keep yourself warm no matter what. And I can teach you to redirect lightning. I may not like your fire bending that much, but, it must come in handy sometimes, right?” Sugawara cracked a small, and flickering half-smile.

“So that’s why…” Daichi muttered and Sugawara looked up in surprise.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Daichi said before he shrugged nonchalantly, turning to grin at Sugawara. “So, how do I do this breathing technique, then?” he questioned, and Sugawara looked at him for a moment before turning and walking around Daichi’s form.

“Stand up straighter,” he advised, and Daichi followed Sugawara’s command. “Okay, now, try and breath from your diaphragm, not from your chest.”

Daichi didn’t understand but breathed, and Sugawara replied by slamming his hands down on Daichi’s shoulders.

“If you’re breathing from your diaphragm I shouldn’t see your shoulders moving,” Sugawara explained once he caught the way Daichi was looking at him. “You’re still breathing from your chest.”

Daichi found, after a minute that Sugawara’s hands alone were not strong enough to hold his shoulders down, and Sugawara realised this too, and fixed the situation by asking Bokuto to bend stone weights onto Daichi’s shoulders. Daichi groaned uncomfortably and found, to his horror that he couldn’t roll his shoulders.

Sugawara grinned. “Have fun,” He told Daichi. “I’ll teach you the rest once you can breathe without moving your shoulders.” He said before smiling again and departing from where Daichi was standing.

Yes, there was definitely something different about Sugawara compared to Kageyama.

Sugawara loved to torture him.


	5. picking the shrapnel of words from open wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " i don't need luck though,   
>  i don't want it.   
> i've always had to struggle and   
>  fight and that's made me strong.   
> it's made me who i am "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was somewhat harder to write than the others, i didn't know how Suga would act or how Kageyama would react, and it really is the first turning point in the story so i wanted to make sure it left an impact. i don't know; my hands stuttered as i typed, so there's probably spelling/grammatical errors, but i check back over every chapter periodically to make sure that no errors remain.
> 
> as for news when you'll be hearing from other characters? well, you'll meeting some new ones in the next few chapters, and you won't have bokuto's pov for a while - just a heads up - but please do look forward to it!
> 
> enjoy!

“No, I’m not going.”

It was the answer Kageyama had expected and the answer he ended up getting from his brother; and although he knew that Suga would say no to something like this, like he had, that did little to make him feel any better. In fact, it made him feel worse.

Bokuto had been pestering him to ask Suga for days, especially after Daichi snapped and told the man that while he and Suga had now come to truce and agreed to tolerate each other, no, he was not going to ruin what little trust Suga had in him by bringing up the fact that Bokuto and Natsu wanted to leave Jang Hui. This, of course, didn’t go down well.

Bokuto sulked and it took him the better part of four hours to cheer up, and Natsu just shook her head and seemed disconnected the rest of the day, only confessing to Kageyama later that she felt a little disheartened and believed that if someone didn’t ask Suga then she’d never end up finding her brother; though these assumptions were cleared up by both Daichi and Kageyama, and then later Bokuto. 

This left the fate of asking Suga in Kageyama’s hands, and, Kageyama thought bitterly, look where it put him now.

He pushed past the green curtain and stepped out into the beach. 

The sun had dipped low in the sky, most of it covered by the hill to the west, and the rays that remained cast the slowly darkening skies a brilliant series of oranges, reds and yellows, as if someone had put a torch to the clouds and set them alight. Across the rover, and behind the cliff, Jang Hui had lit up with lanterns and faraway cried of laughter, the statue of the Painted Lady had been adorned with all sorts of candles in both thanks and an effort to cast a spotlight on it. Kageyama looked at with pride, for it was his brother that had changed the lives of an entire village—and he couldn’t even imagine what sort of pride Suga was feeling.

The sky made the water of Jang Hui river burn and shimmer like fire, and Suga sat at the edge of it, knees drawn up to his chest, and his chin resting on the valley between them, gazing across the water that washed over his toes with a series of expressions that only lead to Kageyama’s heart squeezing in his chest, and for him to falter in his steps.

It was moments like these that Kageyama realised he didn’t really _know_ Sugawara Koushi.

He knew _Suga_ , his brother; he knew the way he used to pick Kageyama off the ground when he fell and kiss his swelling face better and cuddle him before sending him on his way, he knew the way Suga had grown from a sweet child with a heart too big for his chest, who would always put others before himself, no matter how much it hurt him, he knew the Suga that gave everyone second, third and fourth chances, and the Suga that forgave and forgave until he was giving away pieces of himself in place of the happiness that others had lost.

He knew _Koushi_ , his friend and the second prince of the Southern Water Tribe; he knew the Koushi that had an answer to every problem in the Tribe, he knew the way Koushi always managed to calm him down and fill in for Kageyama when he was having too much thrust upon him at once, by his parents, by their sister tribe, and he knew the way Koushi always managed to keep a calm and soothing exterior, and the way he made even the most stern and stubborn of leader bend to his wishes. He knew Koushi and Suga, simultaneously his best friend and his brother, his tactician and his second father – but he didn’t know _Sugawara Koushi_.

And it hurt, it made his heart squeeze and his knees buckle and his hands shake, because as much as Suga knew about him – every crack, every wrinkle, every imperfection, and worry and lie and truth, he knew all of them, every last thing down to the letter – Kageyama knew nothing about Sugawara Koushi; at least not in the same sense.

He knew Suga always put on his boots right foot first, and that he hated bells because his grandfather had ignored their warning and died at sea, and that he had mixed feelings about his beauty spot, and that he sung old Water Tribe songs when he thought no one was listening. He knew the sparse, little things that no one would notice had they not been around him long enough, and he loved everything about Suga’s quirks, and he knew Suga like that.

But he didn’t know what had caused Suga’s banishment, a secret kept tightly between his parents and the village elder, something they always shooed Kageyama away from when he was in the room. And he didn’t know what Suga felt towards Daichi except distaste, nor with Natsu or Bokuto, but Kageyama knew enough to assume that Suga thought Bokuto annoying and Natsu as sweet as a flower. He didn’t know why Suga came to live with him after the mystery of his parent’s death, it was something that Suga refused to talk about but looked worked up about whenever the incident was mentioned. And he didn’t know what Suga thought about eighty percent of the time, or why he assumed that it was always good things; after being in the middle of one of Daichi and Suga’s verbal fights, he realised that, in fact, most of it was mostly swear words, snappy clap backs, and threatening to physically harm someone with icicles.

Seeing Suga on the shores of flaming water staring at the surface and looking as if he had peeled back his skin and exposed himself to his raw element made Kageyama falter as he stepped toward his brother, sitting himself down to the male on the sand. He crossed his legs and rested his hands on his knees before he glanced back at Suga and followed his gaze towards a seemingly random place on the surface of the flaming water. 

“The water looks pretty,” Kageyama said, and, out of the corner of his eye, Suga smiled. “It looks just like it did back at the South Pole.”

“Yeah,” Sugawara agreed, hugging his legs closer. “I miss the Seal penguins though and the glaciers.”

“The glaciers looked pretty in the sunset,” Kageyama stated, before he waved his hands. “So did the blue water. The water here is different, but it still reminds me of home.”

The air visibly drew colder, and Kageyama tensed up, slowly turning his head to look at Suga. The ashy-blond looked tense and frustrated, his brow creased and his lips pursed thin.

“Yeah,” Suga replied but it was half-hearted and laced with bitterness.

“Suga…” Kageyama began softly, but the male didn’t turn to look at him. “What happened back at the South Pole?” he questioned, Suga’s shoulders drew together in an effort to close himself off. “Why did you get banished?”

“Why else? I disobeyed the rules, and I got banished.” Suga explained shortly, turning his head away from the water to look to the cliff at his left, his shoulders hunched as if he were closing himself off.

Kageyama drew in a breath. “I know that, but what did you do? What rules did you break?”

“I’m not talking about this Kageyama,” Suga said with a tired sigh, lowering his knees from his body, and Kageyama’s finger twitched, itched to reach out to Suga and grip his shoulders, to shake them and demand he tell him now because he’s his brother and he can trust Kageyama – Tobio – with anything, no questions asked. But he doesn’t. And he wondered how many conversations with Suga had turned out with the same outcome of this one and the one before that. “Not yet.”

“Okay.” Kageyama nodded, before he slowly reached a hand out to take Suga’s hand as he shuffled closer to him, wrapping his arm around his brother’s shoulders. Suga tensed for a moment before snuggling in to Kageyama’s chest, squeezing his hands close to his body as he closed his eyes. “You don’t have to talk about it now,” Kageyama continued his voice soft as he turned to rest his head on top of Suga’s. “But you can, when you’re ready.” 

Suga sighed, but it was wistful and craved the past. “When did you get so tall,” Suga said softly, moving to wrap his arms around Kageyama properly. “You always used to be at least a food shorter than me until you weren’t anymore. And now look at you, you’re almost six foot.”

Kageyama chuckled and it rumbled to his chest. “I’m not much taller than you,” Kageyama pointed out, jostling Suga in the hug to prove his point. “I’m only three inches taller. Not quite six foot yet.”

“You’re nineteen, you still have time to grow taller,” Suga said, a smile curled at his lips. “I’m twenty-three. I’ve stopped growing by now.”

“You still have time,” Kageyama insisted. “I bet in a few years you’ll be taller than me.”

Suga laughed and it seemed to brighten up the air around them, and Kageyama loved the sound of it. It was clear and bright and seemed to strip away all the years Suga had gained when he was banished seven years ago, and it made Kageyama’s chest warm and a small smile creep up onto his face.

“I doubt it,” Suga countered, moving to poke Kageyama’s cheek. “You’re always gonna be taller than me from now on, Tobio.”

Kageyama chuckled again, but it felt worn and not at all like he was looking at Suga. “Yeah,” he agreed, his voice trailing off as Suga pulled away to look him in the eye. 

“When are you leaving?” Suga asked quietly, ghosting his fingers over the bells on Kageyama’s wrist, using his index finger to flick one, eyelids fluttering closed softly when the sound rung out into the air, piercing through the silence between them. Suga refused to look at him and instead focused on the bells. “You’ll take care of everyone right?” 

“Suga…” Kageyama said softly, and Suga’s eyes drifted up to meet his. “Come with us.”

“I can’t,” Suga replied, shaking his head and once again removing his eyes from Kageyama. “They – Jang Hui – need me here, I can’t leave.”

“They don’t need you, Suga,” Kageyama said softly. “They need the Painted Lady. But they don’t need you.” 

Suga blinked slowly across the water, his gaze shifting to Jang Hui, watching as the villagers lifted lanterns from the water, extinguishing the lights one by one until the village had almost disappeared in the inky black of night. “But I am the Painted Lady, Kageyama, and I vowed that I would protect these people.”

“You are Sugawara Koushi, not a spirit,” Kageyama told him bluntly, his half-smile changed into a frown. His hands gripping Suga’s upper arms like a vice, though the older male didn’t flinch.

“How about you stay here with me?” Suga tried desperately, a bitter smile twisted on his face. “Just let Daichi and Bokuto and Natsu go to Ba Sing Sae, and you can stay here with me, Tobio. Just like when we were kids." 

Kageyama scowled. “Can’t you see what you’re doing to yourself, Suga?” He growled, and for a moment he squeezed tighter but, realising what he was doing, he released the strength of his grip. “You’re shutting yourself away; from the world, from your friends,” he lifted a hand from Suga to rest over where his heart would be, his flat palm turning into a claw like grip over his chest, casting stormy-blue eyes to Suga’s. “From me. I can’t… I don’t know what to do anymore, you just keep turning away and blocking me out, and I know you say you’re fine, but you’re not, and I understand – I do, God, I do – that you don’t want to talk to me about it, but you don’t talk to anyone about anything!” Kageyama finished, knotting his slender fingers into his raven locks, pulling in frustration before he moved to rub his eyes. He hadn't meant to explode, and yet here he was, trying to pick the shrapnel of his words from himself.

“I do!” Suga protested.

“When have you ever come to anything that’s been bothering you?” Suga remained silent. “This is what I mean! I know nothing about you Suga, and I can’t help you because you don’t tell me anything!” Kageyama sighed, turning to grip Suga’s arms again, staring him directly in the eyes, trying to melt the frustration from his face. “You need to tell me Suga, please, and you need to tell me truthfully and with your entire heart; Sugawara Koushi, who are you really?" 

Suga’s brows creased, and a nervous half-smile curved his lips, and Kageyama realised that something had sparked in his eyes, something foreign; maybe it was because Kageyama hardly ever used his full name, but he guessed it was something else, and he wanted to know what it was.

“What are you talking about, Tobio?” Suga questioned, and Kageyama noticed that trying desperately to sound calm. “I’m Suga, your brother.”

“No,” Kageyama said, shaking his head. “ _Who_ are you?”

“I…I don’t understand,” Suga said, running his tongue over his chapped lips, his mouth suddenly feeling very dry. “What are you trying to ask me? I don’t understand.”

Kageyama shook his head again and released his grip on Suga’s arms before he pulled himself off, dusting sand from his leggings, and layers of tanked blue robes, bare feet sinking into the sand as he adjusted his finger wraps. He turned back to Suga, who sat on the sand and looked up at him like he was seeing the sun, really, for the first time. And Kageyama gave him a smile, waved once in an arced shape, bells jingling on his wrist. 

“Just think about it Sugawara,” Kageyama told him. “Who are you?” Kageyama repeated. “Think about it. We’re leaving in the morning,” he turned, walking back towards the cave, as he half pushed open the curtain. “Think about.” He said before he disappeared into the depths of the cave, his heart heavy. 

*

Sugawara stayed on that beach long after Kageyama left.

He had no idea what Kageyama meant when he said, “Who are you?”, it was obvious, wasn’t it? He was Sugawara Koushi, ex-prince of the Southern Water tribe and the protector of Jang Hui; or, well, technically that was the Painted Lady, but wasn’t he the Painted Lady?

He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as he buried his head in his arms, his nose pressing against his knee, and his legs squashed uncomfortably together. 

Maybe that’s what Kageyama meant when he said that, that he didn’t know who he was. Kageyama seemed to have it all figured out too. If Suga had to guess, he would say that Kageyama was prince, and the way he smiled when only Suga was around. Daichi was uncertain and the taste of flames on his tongue. Natsu was lost and hurting, she was loyal and unmoveable; a mountain. Bokuto was mysterious, a twenty-two-year-old bending master who had picked up and left his place in Ba Sing Sae on a whim. He was an enigma, and Suga still can’t figure him out.

But who was he? He was simply Sugawara Koushi. Nothing more and nothing less.

“It can’t just be that simple,” Suga muttered, lifting his head to peer over his arms as he exhaled, his breath hot against his skin. “He must mean something else.”

He looked up from the darkened water and up further towards the sky. The blackness covered it like an inky blue blanket with tiny silver pin pricks shining brightly next to an almost full moon, and, if he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could feel it.

The power from the moonlight around him, the stirring of the water at his feet, pushing and pulling the tide with a ferocity akin to Suga himself, and he smiled as the skin soaked it up; the power but a bubble in the pit of his stomach, almost as if were waiting to be used.

It reminded him of the South Pole, when he would carry Kageyama, only four years old and cubby cheeked and innocent to the world, up to the highest point of one of the South pole’s watch towers on the full moon, and he, only nine years old, would show Kageyama his water bending, letting the toddler thrust his pudgy hand into the water. Kageyama was never a talker, really, but he opened up and met Suga whenever he needed to, and for that Suga was thankful.

He remembered the feeling of that silver moon – how it seemed to melt into his skin and his hair – when he was nine and how much he had changed over seven long, tiresome years, and he wasn’t thankful or angry or hurt, he was numb, and it chilled him to a bone.

He felt something warm, like a ghost of a fire against his bare arms, and his eyes snapped open, almost turning to tell Daichi to go away before he spotted the person – spirit, being – in front of him.

She was beautiful, Suga noticed, extremely beautiful. Her robes were as white as starlight and her veil seemed to be made out of pure moon light, the hat on her head shimmered with a Mother of Pearl, and from underneath it, glossy dark brown hair cascaded light a waterfall. The makeup on her face was alike to how Suga had painted it on his face for over seven years, and she wore a small, godly smile on red, plump lips.

“Sugawara Koushi,” The woman spoke, and she held out a hand to him. Suga hesitated before taking, noticing the skin was both a beautiful mocha colour and incredibly smooth, he let go the minute he was on his feet. “Thank you for caring for Jang Hui so beautifully. I feel it is in your best interest if I take up the mantel of Painted Lady again. 

“I-I… I can stay as long as you need me to!” Suga stuttered, overwhelmed by the woman – spirit, being – in front of him. The lady smiled at his reply and shook her head.

“No need to worry, Sugawara, you have done a wonderful job of protecting this village, but you too must have a life,” The spirit lifted her arm and pointed to the cave. “Leave with your friends’ tomorrow. Travel. Do not waste your mortal life here, enjoy it.”

“But…” Suga hesitated. “You will look after Jang Hui?” he clarified.

The spirit nodded. “Of course.” The spirit smiled gently, cupping Suga’s face with soft hands, and Suga leaned closer as the spirit planted a soft kiss on the middle of his forehead – her lips were warm and the spot on his forehead stayed warm long after the spirit’s lips had departed his skin. “Stay safe, Sugawara Koushi, and thank you.”

The spirit smiled once more, before drifting backwards into a mist, and disappearing in a gust of air, giving Suga the sensation of having ice poured down the back of his neck and effectively waking him up, his senses heightened slightly. He blinked at the space the spirit once was and rubbed his eyes.

He had dreamt that, had he?

* 

Suga awoke late the next morning to the shocking realisation that, in fact, everyone that had been living in his cave for the past two-weeks-and-a-half had already left.

He jumped from his furs and hastily pulled on his red robes, fastening the belt around his waist just a little too tightly and wheezing as he tried to pull on his shoes. He managed to loosen his belt as he dashed around the room like hurricane, gathering things and placing them in the correct places before he collected his pack from under his make-shift table– it was filled with everything he should need, such as clothes, food and personal items, including scrolls and his necklace. 

He hurried from the cave, and tripped over his feet as he climbed the slope of the cliff, hurrying through hills until he arrived at the main path, grinning once he spotted Kageyama, and Bokuto’s bright, spikey hair from where he stood. He cupped his hand around his mouth.

“Tobio!” he yelled and the group faltered and turned, leaving Suga to grin brightly and give two, big and arching waves before he dropped his arm and hurried closer to the group.

He was panting and out of breath when he reached them but he pounced on Kageyama anyway, wrapping his brother in a big hug that smelt of fire smoke and the water. Kageyama grinned at him as Suga removed himself from the taller male’s body.

“Suga,” he said almost as if he didn’t believe it. “You came.”

“Yeah,” Suga agreed, trying desperately to catch his breath, his lungs heaving in an effort to draw in air. “Something convinced me.” He peered between the group, smiling at Natsu and Bokuto and offering Daichi a turn of the corner of his lips. “What’s the plan?” He asked, swallowing the dryness in his throat with a big heave of his chest.

“We’re going to go to Ba Sing Sae,” Bokuto replied, leaning an arm on Kageyama’s shoulder before he realised what he was doing and removed the arm, patting Kageyama once before tilting to rest his arm on the top of Natsu’s head. “I have some friends there that can help us and set Daichi and Kageyama off on trying to get Shouyou back. It’ll be a boat ride to Kyoshi Island, Through the Foggy Swamp, and then through the desert towards the Eastern and Western lakes close to Ba Sing Sae.” Bokuto explained, and, while Suga nodded, his mind was still reeling from the off-handed statement had made before.

“Daichi and Kageyama are splitting up?” He questioned numbly, looking but not really seeing in front of him.

“Yeah, we’ll split up when we get to Ba Sing Sae,” Bokuto said, shrugging as he waved a hand dismissively, before he turned to Suga and eyebrow raised. “Why? Is something wrong?” he asked, and Suga hated the genuine sympathy in his voice.

“No,” he replied, and his tongue felt heavy. “Not at all.”


	6. two sides of the same coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " while it is always best to believe  
> in one’s self,  
> a little help from others can be  
> a great blessing "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a rollercoaster to write; having to tie up loose ends within the chapter, link it, create a good finishing point. but it got finished in the end - which is what ultimately matters.
> 
> i am really enjoying writing this i'm actually so glad that word totals for chapters on average is about 3,500 to 4,500 words, which is honestly more than i've written in a lifetime; it's probably the plan i wrote for this story, the plan had motivated me, especially in the short time i've begun this story.
> 
> i estimate that the group should be in ba sing sae by, at least chapter 8, maybe sooner or later *shrugs* we'll see!
> 
> enjoy the younger hinata sibling following in her brother's footsteps by making friends!

“My feet are sore,” Natsu whined before she collapsed face-first on the sand of Kiyoshi beach.

Kageyama and Suga turned from sinking the sail about underneath the water, continuing the motion, though looking at Natsu with small hesitant smiles. Daichi sighed and shuffled his pack before bending down to pick up Natsu and haul her over his back, adjusting her until he was carrying her in a piggyback. Natsu grinned, knowing she was getting what she wanted, and snuggled closer to Daichi as she threw her arms around his neck; Daichi only sighed in reply, hiking Natsu further up his back as he took towards a path lined with stones, leading up to the first house on the island.

Suga noticed there was something fond about it, and, once he turned from his bending, he found himself smiling at the scene, only broken from his stupor when Bokuto waved a calloused hand in front of his face, grinning as bright as the sun, while Kageyama frowned deeply, filling an extra-large water skin with sea water in preparation for the desert.

“Come on!” Bokuto enthused, grabbing Sugawara’s wrist to tug him towards the island. “I know someone who can give us a lift to the main land.”

Suga blanched as Bokuto turned, happily skipping after Daichi and Natsu, still grinning brightly and carrying his pack as if it were nothing.

“How come you know so many people?” Suga questioned feebly and Bokuto shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he replied simple and Suga’s brows creased – sometimes Bokuto seemed like such an enigma – in confusion. “I guess you just to know a lot of people once you become and earth bending master.” 

Daichi looked at Bokuto, his faced smoothed into something alike to a deadpan, hardly able to prevent his lips from curving upwards. “Really? How did you become a master?” Daichi questioned, and while it was seen as teasing, there was a hint of genuine curiosity hidden, and, with a grin, Bokuto picked it out. 

“I invented three new earth bending techniques!” Bokuto grinned proudly, thumping his chest once and then twice as they arrived at the top step, a giant statue of Kiyoshi blaring in front of them like a beacon. “Didn’t even have to learn the basics!”

Kageyama and Daichi’s mouths fell open at this, and they both gaped like fish as if they were trying to absorb the information through taking in giant mouthfuls of air. “H-How are you alive?” Kageyama all but screeched, and, by the way Daichi’s mouth snapped shut, Suga believed that Daichi thought the same – he giggled, a hand covering his mouth. 

Bokuto scratched his head through his mess of owl horn shaped hair, before he turned back to Daichi and Kageyama, shrugged once more and continued walking. “I dunno, I just kind of… you know… felt the earth and it moved! So I just went with it.”

“So you mean…” Daichi began, as if testing the words. 

“That every earth bending move you used on us…” Kageyama continued, sounding as equally as dumbstruck as Daichi.

“I came up with?” Bokuto finished in suggestion, before he smiled and sharply nodded twice, flashing white teeth and a thumbs up. “Yep! I guess so! But not really, you pick up stuff after watching other masters. The three earth bending techniques I managed to develop were; ore and crystal bending, magma bending – I have a cool story about that one! – and sludge bending!”

“Sludge?” Kageyama questioned once he was somewhat over his shock. “But isn’t that, like, water?”

Bokuto put a hand to his chin, stopping in his tracks and causing Kageyama to bump into him with a loud sound of disruption; the feeling of bumping into Bokuto was alike to running stomach-first into a blunt boulder, it winded him and left him thumping his chest to breathe again.

“My earth bending teacher never clarified that,” Bokuto admitted after a while, moving his hand from his chin to scratch at his head. “Hey, maybe I only created two techniques!”

“Oh no,” Kageyama blanched. “What a shame.” 

“Right?” Bokuto enthused before he turned away, waving his hand in an arc to call towards someone on the dock, hardly needing to cup his hand over his mouth to project his voice; the asset being loud and booming enough already and easily hearable. “Yo! Tetsu!”

Suga noticed that Daichi visibly tensed up and sent him a somewhat worried glance. Daichi seemed to notice and his gaze drifted to Suga as he nervously smiled, trying to assure the male of his overall ‘okay’-ness, though when Suga smiled back nervously, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth in anxiety as he turned away, Daichi’s shoulders hunched again.

Suga’s gaze drifted to Kageyama, and he was glad to see that the male looked somewhat unfazed by the situation, in fact, he looked like he did almost all the time, and that gave Suga the comfort he needed. He exhaled firmly, his shoulders slumping as he practically melted in the absence of the anxiousness.

“Tetsu!” Bokuto cried again once they had made their way to the docks, as always, Bokuto was several feet in front of them. “What’s up, bro? It’s been a while!”

“Yeah!” The male, Tetsu, agreed, returning the first bump that Bokuto held out waiting, before he leant forwards to wrap the man in a tight hug, releasing him with a chuckle just as Tetsu’s eyes scanned over the group gathered. “Who’s this, Kou?”

Tetsu’s eyes were as yellow as a cats and they seemed to instil some sort of uneasiness in the pit of Suga’s stomach. He felt that as Tetsu looked him up and down with those calculating, scarily feline eyes that the male could see everything that Suga didn’t expose to anyone else, and it almost made him cover himself, and, though he wasn’t naked, he felt like he was under the male’s gaze.

The other, strange thing about Tetsu was that his hair was a mess. It was like he had rolled out of bed and just left it like that, the hair at the back was up in messy cowlicks, the hair on top was messy and curly and seemed almost too unruly, and his fringe covered most of the right side of his face. The features that Suga could see were half-lidded, lazy eyes, tanned skin, and a seemingly permanent shit-eating smirk.

“These are my friends,” Bokuto grinned, gesturing to each person in turn. “Daichi, Natsu, Suga and Tobio.” He answered, before he clapped his hands together, effectively snapping Tetsu’s eyes from his small, mismatched group. “Anyway, can you give us a lift to the coast of the Foggy Swamp?” Bokuto questioned, and Tetsu smirked wider, lips curling. “We’re looking to get to the mainland; just the outskirts of the Foggy Swamp." 

Tetsu’s smirk widened into a grin and he smacked Bokuto on the back heartily, laughing as if he had just been told the funniest joke on earth. “Course I can, Kou! Anything for a friend, bro!” Tetsu turned back to the group and offered his hand, his grin flattening back into a smirk, eyes lidding further. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said, but it sounded more like a threat than a greeting.

Daichi was the only one confident enough to take Tetsu’s hand and grip it firmly, shaking one before releasing it as if it were a red-hot poker.

“Pleasure,” Daichi replied curtly, and Tetsu smirked further, turning to pick up the basket of foods effortlessly, before he half-turned back to Daichi, lips curving.

“Oh no,” he replied. ‘The pleasure is all mine.” 

*

“I know him,” Was what Daichi said once they had safely made their way into the Foggy Swamp, having bid goodbye to Tetsu. Bokuto laughed and clapped Daichi on the back, causing the male to stumble and thank the heavens that Kageyama had volunteered to carry the sleeping Natsu. “Really, I do." 

“How can you know him?” Bokuto questioned as he chuckled. “Tetsu has been on Kiyoshi for as long as I can remember! As I’ve known him really! You must be thinking of a different guy.”

Daichi’s brow creased, and he heaved his bag further up his shoulder.

“No, I’m sure I know him,” Daichi said, before his eyes widened and he nodded once, firmly. “I definitely know him. That Tetsu, I knew there was something shifty about him…” Daichi trailed off, and Suga turned to look around at him. 

“Sawamura what are you on about?” He questioned as he watched as Kageyama  hiked Natsu up further, turning to check if the girl was still asleep, thankful that she was, before he turned back to the conversation. “Tetsu seemed like a normal guy, but… I guess…  I have to agree with you. There was just… something a little bit, well, off about him.”

“It’s smart what he’s done,” Daichi agreed, before he turned to Suga with a glimmer in his eyes. “Did you notice anything about him in particular. His hands maybe?”

Suga paused in his tracks and turned on his heel to stare at Daichi incredulously. “His hands?” Suga repeated, as if even the mention were foreign to him and downright stupid. “Why on Earth would I be looking at his hands of all places?”

Daichi sighed and stepped forward, taking Suga’s hand from where it rested on his pack and pressed his own against it, so their fingers matched up – pinkie to pinkie, and thumb to thumb – and Suga could feel every scar and injury on Daichi’s wide hands, and that’s when he noticed that he had unusually large hands for a firebender. 

He was suddenly very aware of the swamp jungle around him. Every vine seemed to be crying out his name, whispering to him and willing him to listen, every sound of the bugs that chirped seemed amplified until he couldn’t take it anymore and his eye was twitching with every chirp of the cicadas. He could feel the water of a river running nearby, and it rocked and cracked through him like his body was a dam and the water was trying to drown him – and that’s what he felt, like he was underwater, detached.

Only he and Daichi existed, never mind the solid, firm weight of Daichi’s hand on his or the way he could almost feel the warmth from beneath his skin., and it sunk into his bones like the water, until that was popped and he yanked his hand away from Daichi’s, planting it back on the strap of his pack.

“His hands…” Suga guessed, not exactly meeting Daichi’s eyes. “They’re fire bender hands, right?”

Daichi grinned, his teeth shining white. “Yes! And that’s not all either. I know exactly who this ‘Tetsu’, guy is too, I actually… well, I sort of knew him back in the Fire Nation. It was hard not to.”

Suga’s eyes narrowed and from the corner of his eye, Suga noted that Kageyama looked mildly concerned. “Who is ‘Tetsu’, Sawamura?” Suga asked testily and it annoyed him when Daichi smiled bitterly, looking away from Suga to continue walking, and, after a moment, Suga followed after him angrily. “Answer me Sawamura! This isn’t something you can keep from us!”

Daichi continued to walk and didn’t reply, despite Suga, and then eventually Kageyama, questioning for who ‘Tetsu’ was, and Daichi eventually snapped once they arrived at a free flowing river surrounded by mossy stones, and vines from the swamp, and the roots of the trees.

“His name is Kuroo Tetsurou,” Daichi snapped, turning around to face Suga with his fists clenched in anger. “And Kuroo Tetsuro is the Prince of the Fire Nation." 

Suga stopped dead in his place, his face slacked in shock, and, next to him, Kageyama mimicked his reaction. Before long the shock in Suga has transformed into anger. “What do you mean this ‘Tetsu’ is the Prince?” Suga asked angrily, stepping towards Daichi. “You _can’t_ be serious.”

“I am,” Daichi growled, stepping closer to Suga. “And how do you think I feel, huh? I, a Fire Nation fugitive and traitor, just got spotted by my superior, and, better yet,” Daichi turned to glare at Bokuto, throwing his hands in the air as strained, fake happiness entered his voice. “He now knows it’s me because, instead of using fake name, you gave him my real name! What lovely idea! I’m totally looking forward to getting killed!” 

“Sawamura!” Suga hissed, leaning to punch him harshly on the arm.

“Well,” Daichi bit back bitterly. “I’m not wrong am I?”

Bokuto’s usually cheerful face slackened and he seemed visibly put down, his shoulder hunched into himself, and he rubbed his muscular bicep self-consciously, not exactly meeting anyone’s eyes. “I…” Bokuto began before he bit his lip unsure of where to start. “I’m sorry… but… I’ve known Tetsu forever, we were friends back in Ba Sing Sae… I…”

“Sorry isn’t going to fix this,” Daichi snapped. “You’ve just outed us to the Prince of the Fire Nation! Banished Prince none the less, but I’m sure he has some friends that can tell the entire Fire Nation that we exist!”

Suga stepped forward, and jabbed Daichi’s chest in effort to make him take a step back. “Don’t take this out on Bokuto!” Suga hissed, steeping forward to jab his chest again. “This is _your fault_! If you weren’t from the Fire Nation and had some position of power, we would’ve been fine! What on _Earth_ compelled you to escape? You would’ve just brought trouble to anyone you encountered anyway! See, this is why I don’t trust you!”

“You don’t trust me?” Daichi growled, his voice a low rubble in his chest. “You don’t trust me? You taught me water bending moves for goodness sake, that’s not trust to you?” 

“Of course it’s not; that’s _called_ just having some goddamned sense!” Suga snapped back, his scowl was bitter and he swore the only thing he could see through the red of his anger was Daichi’s stupid, stupid face. “Why on Earth why I trust you? You’ve done nothing to earn my trust!”

Ouch, Daichi had to admit that one stung, but still he glared right back at Suga and had to clench his fists in an effort to stop from grabbing at Suga’s hand to push it away.

“I’ve done _nothing_? I’ve been nothing but kind to you!” Daichi protested, moving himself so he and Suga were almost face-to-face.  “I’ve tried so hard to become something close to friends with you, but you’re always trying to kill me!” Daichi said, throwing his hands in the air. “There is only so many times a man can be shot at with deadly sharp icicles before you have think to yourself, ‘ _Oh, I wonder if this guy actually wants to kill me_!’.” 

“I don’t want to _kill_ you! Now you’re just making stuff up!” Suga protested, moving to jab Daichi’s chest again, and Daichi’s brow twitched; every time Suga did that he had the overwhelming urge to swat his hand away. “Why do you always have to cause so much trouble? I don’t want to kill you, and you’re just trying to make _me_ seem like the bad guy!" 

“ _I’m the bad guy_? Really? Honestly, it’s a wonder why I _didn’t know_ that you weren’t trying to kill me; because, as far as it seemed to me, you were trying _way_ too hard! I _wonder_ why I didn’t realise that you didn’t actually want to kill me?” Daichi replied sarcastically, and he was somewhat pleased when Suga’s scowl etched deeper onto his face and the male elicited a low growl from the bottom of his stomach. “Oh! I know! It’s because you have a twenty foot pole up your ass, and you seem to have a personal vendetta against me, like, what the _actual hell_?”

Suga’s face went bright red, and he wasn’t sure if that was from his plainly visible anger or from some kind of embarrassment, and the last thing he had expected from the male was for him to reach out and shove Daichi back by his chest, making the male take two, stumbling steps backwards. 

“I can’t _believe_ you!” Suga fumed, once again shoving at Daichi’s chest in fury. “You are a despicable person who doesn’t care about anyone else, and I hate you! Why did I even agree to come on this stupid, _stupid_ quest?” Daichi heard a sniff, and when he looked at Suga closely, he noticed hot, angry tears were streaming down his red cheeks, and he almost felt bad. Almost. “I’m just going to go back to Jang Hui! I don’t even know why I tried to trust any of you in the first place!” he shoved Daichi once more before backing away and hitching his pack further up his back. “I’m going back, and none of you can stop me.”

Daichi reached up and seized up Suga’s wrist. “Listen here, you—” 

“Can both of you just _shut up_!” Kageyama yelled, and, when the two turned, he noticed that Kageyama looked almost generally red in the face and Natsu, having presumably woken up during the argument, was standing beside him looking as equally as angry. “Get yourselves together and stop arguing." 

Suga stared back at Kageyama, scowled, and opened his mouth to reply before a vine slammed into the river behind him, which led to the snappy reply Suga was about to say being transformed into a blood-curdling scream as he dove towards Daichi, knocking him to the ground as the vine came down right where Suga had stood not even seconds previous. Suga scrambled from Daichi’s body and stood up, only barely managing to send the water up in a cascade, slicing through a second vine as it came down on them.

“Kageyama!” Suga cried, ducking and rolling out of the way of yet another vine.

“On it!” Kageyama replied, before he had to jump out of the way with a cry and a facial expression that would’ve been funny in any other situation.

Suga set to work trying to slice at the vines with water, effectively cutting them in half, as he tried to get a better look at the attacker; after inspection, hurried inspection, Suga realised they were being attacked by a creature made entirely out of vines (a thrilling and obvious observation he knew), with a plank of bark with eye holes somewhere near the top of the monster - where the head should be. It seemed intent on trying to drown or kill them.

Upon Daichi sending two, massive fireballs that lit the creature alight, the creature reached for him and sent him flying into the river, completely dousing him in water and rendering his bending utterly useless. He cried out and dove out of the way of another vine, before he was grabbed by his feet by the other, arm-like limb which drew a struggling Daichi closer to the vine monster’s body.

Suga stood tall in the middle of the river, one foot in front of the other before he lifted his arms and began spinning them at his sides in large arcing motions, as if he were swimming, which caused the water around him to lift up from its body in arcs and spiral across the water towards the creature, hitting the vines that seemed to be working as arms and cutting them away cleanly. Though they were slashed, the monster kept attaching more vines from the river to its hacked limbs, fixing the damage that Suga had made in the space of a second.

Daichi, meanwhile, was being tugged closer to the monster’s chest, and was fighting to get through the vines but ultimately failing, Kageyama noticed this and ushered Natsu under the roots of a large tree before he slid across the water, sliding under swiping vines, and landed safely on a large root, he waved his hands in a circular motion over the lower part of his face before moving them to either side of his mouth – as if to call out to Daichi – and stretching his arms out and turning his palms away from himself as he let out a breath of deathly cold air that froze Daichi’s progress of being absorbed into the monster. Kageyama smiled and brought his hands down, loosening the ball of ice that contained Daichi away from the body before he sent himself forward with water at his heels, connecting somewhat painfully with the ball of ice as it punctured straight through the body with the strength of a cannonball.

Mid-air, Kageyama melted the ice, latched onto the Daichi and braced himself for the impact on water as he tried to remove the water for Daichi’s person, which all proved for nothing, as, once they landed with a crash in the river almost next to Natsu’s place in the roots, Daichi was once again soaked. 

Suga switched position, and instead moved his hand upwards, bring a fine film of water with it, before he thrust out his hand and brought it slashing down across his body, sending the water directly at the monster’s head as it mimicked his actions. For a moment, it looked like nothing had happened but, sure enough, Suga could see the fine line that had been cut through the monster’s head and he smiled as it slowly slid off and splashed into the water beside it. The monster barely looked like the action had affected it at all, it raised its arms and vines moved to replace the gapping gash, and, when the monster raised its arms again, it sent vines to wrap around and suspend Suga in a tower of spiralling greenery, his arms plastered close to his sides. 

Suga struggled, his barely kicking legs and trapped arms doing nothing to harm his confines, he looked to his side and noticed Kageyama was playing a game of cat and mouse with the arms of the monster, while Daichi and Bokuto were sending plumes of bright red flames and giant, hulking rocks at the monster, who seemed not to really care and swatted at them like flies; only Kageyama’s water seemed to do anything, and that was probably why the monster was focusing on him.

“Hey!” Natsu’s voice cried out, the area around the fight suddenly seeming deafeningly quiet, and Suga wanted to turn and tell her to get back into a place that was safe. “Let go of Suga and stop trying to fight them!”

To his surprise, Suga was dropped in an instant, crashing painfully into the water of the river. He pulled himself up with shaking arms, coughing up mud traced water, and he wasn’t quite sure what was weirder; the fact that the monster actually listened to Natsu, or the fact that, upon turning around, the monster turned out to be a man with stark white hair whom was covered in vines.

Natsu marched up to the man, coming up just past his abs at best, and reached up to jab the middle of his bare chest as he picked vines from his body, tossing them away carelessly. “I know they created a lot of noise, but you didn’t have to throw them around like that!”

The man, Suga noticed as he pulled himself up to sit pathetically in the muddy water, looked out of place faced with Natsu, even though he could toss her aside with no trouble if he wanted to – which Suga highly doubted he did, judged by the somewhat star struck look and the disbelief written over his face. The man smiled gently and crouched down to Natsu’s height, he offered a hand to her. 

“I’m sorry for being mean to your friends, my name is Aone,” he said once Natsu had taken the large hand and shaken once. “What brings you to the Swamp?” he asked.

“We’re trying to get to Ba Sing Sae,” Natsu confessed, smiling back at Aone. “It’s nice to meet you too, Aone, my name is Natsu.”

Aone smiled again before he stood up straight and offered the short red-head his hand again. “Me and my friends would be happy to guide all of you through the Swamp to Gaoling,” Aone offered, and Natsu smiled and took his hand. “From there you’ll take a sand glider to Full Moon Bay, yes?”

Natsu nodded once, a grin on her face. “Thank you very much!”

Bokuto shook his fist at the two from his place on a large tree root with Daichi, teeth bared. “Hey you two! You’re forgetting something!” He yelled, before he opened his arms in a wide, sweeping gesture. “Four somethings actually!” 

Natsu only half turned back. “Well, hurry up then!" 

Suga turned slowly to share a look with Kageyama, the same thought circling through their mind; _How did such a small girl manage to befriend a man who looked twice her size?_ Suga didn’t know the answer, and Kageyama didn’t want to question it, but it turned out good for all of them so it was better left unsaid.

Daichi turned to Bokuto, and offered him a sheepish smile and his hand to shake, the other hand rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I… well, I’m sorry, Bokuto, for what I said. It was wrong, and, though it’s no excuse, I was angry; probably more at myself. So, yeah, sorry, Bro.”

Bokuto grinned brightly, seizing up Daichi’s hand. “Hey, don’t worry about it! I should’ve given you guys fake names, to be honest, and, with what you said about Tetsu, I’m going to keep on being friends with him,” Bokuto shrugged, smiling again when he noticed Daichi’s shocked expression. “Yeah, yeah. I know what I’m doing. Want to know why I’m still friends with him?” he asked.

“Uh,” Daichi stuttered. “Sure?”

“Well,” Bokuto began loosening his grip from Daichi’s hand and letting it drop to his side, the other running through his hair as he turned to look at the forest around them. “I knew Tetsu before I knew who _Tetsu_ was, and, well, prince or no Prince, Tetsu is still my friend. You, Suga, Kageyama, you all make him out to be a bad guy, but I don’t see that. No really. I actually think he’s a good guy.”

“Really?’ Daichi blinked. 

Bokuto nodded once. “Yeah.” He turned back to Daichi with a grin. “I actually just think he’s scared. He must’ve got banished for something he did wrong right? He probably blames someone, himself maybe.” Bokuto’s eyes flickered away and Daichi followed, noticing that Bokuto had folded his arms across his chest and was looking at Suga. “Don’t you think they’re the same?” He queried.

“Who?” Daichi questioned, leaning closer to get a better look. “Kuroo and Kageyama? I’m pretty sure their similarities end at the black hair.”

“No, Suga and Tetsu,” Bokuto corrected, and they watched as Suga and Kageyama waded through the lakes to pick up their packs, following after Natsu and Aone quickly, laughing about something.

Daichi shrugged. “In what way?”

“Just as I said,” Bokuto replied. “Tetsu must’ve done something wrong to get banished right? Well, Suga must’ve done something wrong as well. They’re both probably blaming themselves, and other people in Suga’s case.” Bokuto turned, owlish eyes seeming to gaze directly into Daichi soul when their eyes met. “They’re like two sides of the same coin.”

Daichi turned away, unnerved, just in time to watch Suga push Kageyama back into the water, laughing wildly as the sound of Kageyama’s bells washed around the trees like a wave.

“Yeah…” Daichi agreed after a minute. “I guess they are.”

But, when he turned back to face Bokuto, the male was already gone, and his words were still ringing in is mind as loudly as Kageyama’s bells had been.


	7. deceiving thoughts and fear of the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " there is nothing wrong  
> with letting people who love you  
> help you "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter felt very much Lemony Snicker the more I went on; I blame the new A Series of Unfortunate Events series on Netflix. It's very good I recommend!
> 
> This chapter was one of the hardest to write, as it was leading up to a turning point, but I'm glad I got it done. Also, if you want updates on stories etc. you should follow my twitter @ryuuiiwrites, I post about BotST and any new stuff I'm working on; so check it out!
> 
> Remember my point from before and, of course, this chapter title; things may be deceiving, and, as always, keep a sharp look out, you'll never know when something might be important.
> 
> Enjoy this chapter!

They had just arrived in the bustling streets of Gaoling when Suga realized he probably should have apologized for yelling at Daichi.

Daichi didn’t seem to be mad at him at all – he was rolling his shoulders and smiling more, most probably because he was outside of the Fire Nation (and Tetsu’s) clutches – but Suga still felt the guilt ball itself in his stomach as he latched on to Natsu’s hand, despite her protests.

It wasn’t quite nighttime, but it also wasn’t quite daytime; a twilight right in the middle of the two. Shop-keepers exited their shops through rattling beads or a swish of fabric and lit lanterns outside their doors, and Suga was draw to them like a moth drawn to a flame, because they looked so warm and inviting and he was tired and very, very hungry.

Bokuto was leading the trail of hungry, tired travellers and seemed too hyperactive for the time and the length of their journey, and he was pointing things out eagerly, tugging Natsu over to poke her nose into the shop with him, both of them returning grinning and as equally hyped-up as each other.

“Bokuto,” Suga said, wincing upon hearing Bokuto whoop and tug Natsu back over to the group. “I think maybe it’s time we find a place to eat and sleep.” He suggested, huffing and stumbling forward when Bokuto thumped him on the back with vigour.

“Great idea, Suga!” he cheered, grinning as his eyes darted around as if looking for something familiar, before his eyes lit up and he stepped forward, an arm held out to point out a building. “There! I know the guy who runs this, and this time I’m sure he’s not part of the Fire Nation!”

Suga and Daichi chuckled weakly at Bokuto’s try for a joke, while Kageyama looked on confused. 

Bokuto led the way into the building, pushing aside the curtain gently before he practically beamed and tackled someone into a giant hug, both of them crashing to the floor as the rest of the group stepped in wearing vague, shocked expressions at the crashing noise and the scene in front of them.

Bokuto looked up from the crook of the person’s shoulder. “This is Kaori! She’s one of the owners of _Fukurodani_ , and she’s my manager!”

The girl rolled her eyes and sat up, prying Bokuto’s arms from around her as she pulled both herself and the male up, brushing her dress off before turned to her company, bowing once. “I apologize for Bokuto, I am Suzumeda Kaori and I am one of the owners of _Fukurodani_ like Bokuto said, how can I help you?”

Kaori was tall. Taller than Daichi and Kageyama, and she carried an air of grace around with her, as well as carrying the attitude needed for dealing with Bokuto and Bokuto’s mood swings. Her hair, ashy blonde, was in a neat ponytail, her bangs clipped back with a butterfly hair slide. Suga noticed she tucked her hands into her sleeves when she wasn’t using them and she had a habit of biting her lip. 

“Don’t be so formal, Kaori!” Bokuto pouted, tugging on the sleeve of her dress. “These are my friends, just treat them like you would me!”

Kaori smiled wickedly, her hands on her hips. “Would you like me to tell you off in front of them?” she questioned, nodding in affirmation when Bokuto slunk back, hurt and in one of his dejected moods. She sighed and pat him on the shoulder. “You know Yukie hates it when you just pounce on us. Anyway, what brings you back here?” she questioned, bending down to pick up the empty bowls and cups she had dropped, crooking an eyebrow at him as she straightened up. “Last I heard you were off to the Fire Nation to go on a ‘ _spiritual quest_ ’ and find your ‘ _destiny_ ’.”

“I’m on my spiritual quest,” Bokuto protested grumpily, kicking idly at a table. “And this lot are my destiny. We’re all friends!” 

“This lot?” Suga spluttered at the same time Kageyama’s mouth dropped open and he managed, “Friends?”, just as incredulously.

“Well, they look alright,” Kaori said, setting the plates down on the table behind her with ease before she turned back around. “What are your names?” she asked. “Or are you all weird hobos that Bokuto has collected?” 

“They’re not hobos!” Bokuto protest, his face screwed up in annoyance as he stamped his foot on the stone floor. “They’re my company! Benders!” 

Daichi smiled nervously and stepped forward, offering a hand to the girl, which she took, shaking once. “I’m Daichi.”

“Anything else?” She questioned. “No surname?”

The smile on his face looked almost painful to Suga. “Just… Daichi.”

Kaori studied him for a minute before breaking out into a grin, revealing a gap in her two front teeth. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Just-Daichi.”

“Ha.” Daichi responded dryly, and Suga could sympathize; for the moment he wasn’t enjoying his experience with the quaint inn that was _Fukurodani_. 

“Kageyama Tobio.” Kageyama introduced, nodding once and ignoring Kaori’s hand. 

Suga smiled somewhat hesitantly as he looked up at Kaori, shaking her outstretched hand. “Sugawara Koushi,” he said. “You have a lovely place.” 

Kaori raised an eyebrow, a small, amused smile on her face. “Wow. We have a charmer.” She commented and Suga flushed pink, trying to pull his hand from Kaori’s, though she just grinned and tightened her own grip on his hand. “Hey, hey, don’t get so flighty. I was just kidding; you sound like a lovely guy.”

Suga smiled desperately and Kaori released his hand with a chuckle, turning to Natsu. 

“And who are you, little lady?”

Natsu grinned, taking Kaori’s hand in enthusiasm. “I’m Hinata Natsu, Daichi and Suga and Tobio and Kou are helping me get my brother back,” she explains enthusiastically before she smiled leaning closer to whisper in Kaori’s ear. “Suga was a spirit.”

Kaori drew back with an amused smile. “Oh really?” she questioned. “That sounds interesting, you’ll have to tell me and the others over your meal, that is, if you don’t mind telling us.”

“I don’t!” 

Kaori opened her mouth to reply, before she was cut off by a timid call at the door to the kitchen. Two girls were standing in the doorway, one had short blonde hair tugged up into a bun, and the other had straight-falling red hair and owlish eyes. The blonde was carrying a pile of linens, while the other girl was empty-handed.

“Kaori, we heard a crash,” The blonde managed over the pile of linens. “Are you alright?" 

Kaori smiled in reassurance, nodding once. “I’m fine, it’s just Bokuto and his friends. Come in and say hello,” Kaori suggested, and the blonde hesitated before she was being tugged in by the red-head, who took the linens from her arms and dumped the pile on the table. Kaori turned back to the group. “This is the second owner, Yukie, and one of our employees Yuri.”

Yuri smiled at the group and nodded once, bowing down gently, her hands clenched into fists on her knees. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said when she straightened up. “I hope you have an enjoyable time.” She managed before she turned to Yukie, her brow creased. “I need to launder the linens again, please stop putting them on tables, Yukie, it’s bad luck.”

Yukie smiled at Yuri, reaching over to ruffle the girl’s hair gently. “I know,” she replied. “It’s bad luck. You go and prepare,” Yukie turned away, glancing over the group, mumbling numbers. “Five rooms, please.” She finished with a small smile.

Yuri and turned away, hurrying back to collect her linens and vacate the room as quickly as possible, almost tripping over the edge of a sheet in her hurry to depart. 

“She seemed nervous,” Suga pointed out, frowning after the girl. “And preparing five rooms all by herself?”

“Yuri will get it done in under half an hour, and that’s just Yuri I suppose, she doesn’t take to meeting new people very well; serving is fine because she doesn’t have to know them, but meeting is different.”

Suga quirked an eyebrow, looking at the door fondly. “Strange girl,” he commented lowly.

“Yes, now, what can I get you to eat?” Yukie questioned, brushing her hands off on her apron. “I’m assuming that Bokuto wants meat, but I don’t know your preferences.”

“Uh… meat is fine…” Daichi stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “But maybe some fish as well? And rice?” 

Yukie nodded. “Sure, we can do that. Are you all alright with tea?” The group nodded and Yukie smiled. “Brilliant, just take a seat anywhere and either Yuri, Kaori or I will serve you when your food is ready.”

Bokuto ushered the group to a large table in the corner of the room, shuffling into the seat closer to the wall, Natsu and Daichi sliding in next to him while Kageyama and Suga took the seats on the other side of the table, looking quite nervous and glancing around every so often. Suga’s fingers grazed over the napkins, gently picking one up to tear it nervously into tiny squares, Kageyama glanced at him but didn’t do anything to stop him. Daichi’s brow twitched. 

“You’re making me nervous,” Daichi told Suga.

Suga glared at him. “Well then stop being nervous, because you’re also making me nervous.”

“Why are you both nervous?” Bokuto questioned, a sharp eyebrow raised and his mouth twitching, trying not to smile at the two. “We’re just getting food." 

“I don’t know,” Suga sighed in exasperation. “I don’t like new places very much and, I don’t know, it might be the fact that Kageyama has to go back into the Fire Nation.”

Silence covered the table like a damp blanket, and everyone had turned to look at the male.

“Koushi…” Kageyama began, his voice low and pitying, and Suga turned to glare at him.

“No, don’t look at me that way,” Kageyama opened his mouth to protest but Suga held a finger up at his brother, stopping the male from taking further. “Nope, I won’t allow it! I’m fine, honestly, it’s okay, I’ll be fine.” 

“You don’t sound fine,” Daichi piped up. 

Suga deadpanned at him, but it felt forced and tired. “I didn’t ask for your opinion.” 

Daichi threw his hands in the air, and turned away, Natsu, Kageyama and Bokuto were all peering at Suga sympathetically, barely giving Daichi a second glance.

Natsu bit her lip, fiddling nervously with a strand of her hair. “Uh… Well… do you want to talk about it?”

“Not particularly no,” 

Kageyama’s brow creased, his frown deepening. “Suga…” he said lowly, and Suga looked down at the table, dropping the napkin-confetti and instead traced his fingers along the grooves of the table. 

“Fine, okay, I’m worried about Kageyama, because I don’t want to lose him again.” Suga said, looking up at his company and frowning gently. “That’s it, I’m sure everything will be fine.” 

Kageyama looked like he wanted to say something and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Daichi who just shrugged at Suga and said, “Okay then, but we’re here to listen if you want to talk to us about anything.” Suga looked struck for a moment before he nodded and diverted his attention back down to the table, just as Yuri appeared with plates of hot, barbequed meat stacked onto trays.

Bokuto began eating immediately, while everyone else picked up utensils awkwardly and tried not to seem like they were glancing at Suga and Daichi from the corner of their eyes – because if Daichi had butted in and Suga hadn’t tried to kill him, surely the world was ending.

He sensed the awkwardness and placed down his bowl, leaning across the table to Suga with his hands tucked under his chin. 

“So d’ya wanna talk about feelings?” he asked. 

Suga deadpanned. “You have rice on your face, Bokuto.” 

“Tough crowd,” Bokuto sighed as he shook his head and leant back in his seat.

“That’s just Suga,” Kageyama pointed out with his chopsticks, gesturing between Bokuto and his brother. “You’re literally just talking about Suga.” 

The grey-haired male raised an eyebrow as he picked up his chopsticks, trying happily to secure a slice of meat. “Your point?” 

Kageyama looked like he had the sudden urge to smack Bokuto across the face and Suga had no doubt that he meant to, but he didn’t want to do anything to intervene so he settled himself down into his seat and dug in to his bowl of rice and the plate of meat he had liberated from Bokuto’s clutches. Daichi, on the other hand, noticed Suga pointedly doing nothing, and decided instead to do something; so he reached across the table to push Kageyama back into his seat. 

“No one is smacking anyone,” Daichi told them, looking between Kageyama and Bokuto, and the black haired boy just looked at him.

“I didn’t say I was going to smack him,” Kageyama protested lowly, trying his best not to sound guilty.

Daichi pushed a cup of tea over to Kageyama. “Yes, but you thought of it.”

“I didn’t know you were a mind reader,”

“I didn’t know you were five,”

Kageyama threw his hands in the air before he snatched the cup from the table angrily, taking a long gulp before he smacked it back down onto the surface, looking far angrier than he had done beforehand. “Oh, sorry Dad!”

“Did you just call me Dad?” By now, Daichi was doing his best to not smile nor laugh at the boy, and, upon seeing Kageyama’s shocked and reddened face, he had the sudden urge to burst out laughing – but he decided against it, and instead swallowed the bubbles down. 

Kageyama spluttered, and he suddenly felt very, very hot. “I- Well, I-I,” he floundered, glaring when Suga snickered and Natsu shoved her hand to her mouth. “It was joke.” He finished desperately.

Daichi leaned across the table again, this time to good-naturedly pat Kageyama’s shoulder. “I know it was, I just like embarrassing you,” 

Bokuto burst into peals of howling laughter, Natsu joining in with her own, high-pitched, bell-like giggles; the comment wasn’t particularly fun, neither was the scenario, it was a combination of tiredness and Kageyama’s angry reaction, which led to him angry-eating several plates of meat. 

“I hate you all,” He mumbled through his chopsticks, but Daichi and Suga only smiled. 

*

The inn rooms were small but spacious for what the building looked like from the exterior.

In fact, whenever Suga looked at _Fukurodani_ , he immediately thought of how you should never judge a book by its cover, but how many do anyway; for from the outside, the inn looked ratty and scrappy and possibly one of the worst places to stay. Upon first glance you would assume badly cooked food and dirty bedsheets and insect infested rooms, you would think of how many angry people work there, maybe ex-criminals. You would think bad service, but that was not what _Fukurodan_ i was.

 _Fukurodani_ ’s interior was beautiful, it’s corridors were lined with emerald-glass lampshades that gave the halls a comforting, warm look, and its tables were mahogany and the chairs were comfortable. The food was amazingly cooked, and the staff were enjoyable to talk too – they worked too hard and talked too little, though if you were to draw them from their chores for even a minute, you’d fins that they were the most interesting people to talk to. Rooms were cleaned and dressed with care, sheets were changed twice a day, even if the linens had not been slept in, and each room had a spectacular view that wouldn’t quite expect; from the best rooms you could see the Desert, and from others you could see all the way across to Kiyoshi Island.

His first impressions of _Fukurodani_ were deceiving, and Suga wondered if that was the same for people too.

There was Daichi. And he was only an inch or two taller than him, and all muscle and brawn and he practically reeked of farm boy. (In fact, if Suga had not known he was from the Fire Nation – which he knew because Daichi told he and Kageyama explicitly – he would have assumed the male was from one of the more out-of-the way Earth Kingdom villages that exported farming goods.) And, although he hated to admit it, he slowly felt the distaste and hate he had held for Daichi melting away, and that was absurd – Daichi hadn’t done anything that would make him feel less uneasy, so why would he dislike him less? 

The question gave him a headache – as thinking about one’s feelings most often do – so he decided not to pursue it until it was absolutely necessary. 

Natsu, it seemed, was like a cake. The more you got to know her, the more it seemed there was something about her you hadn’t quite noticed before. For instance, it wasn’t until the boat ride to Kiyoshi that Suga realized that Natsu was handy with a knife – extremely handy. It was almost scary, and Suga never wanted to find himself at the other end of her blade for whatever reason.

Suga wasn’t quite sure yet, but he believed Bokuto was a geode. He looked rough and ready and like nothing on the outside, but the more you got to know him (or, in the metaphor’s sense, when you cracked him open) he was a raw, unpolished crystal, practically thrumming with untold power and mystery. Suga thought he lived up to that explanation quite well. 

And then there was Kageyama, and Kageyama was complicated, because he swore he knew every edge of Kageyama like the back of his hand, but there he was defying everything Suga had ever known about him and throwing whatever initial thoughts Suga had had about him out of the window. Kageyama wasn’t nine anymore, and he wasn’t the young, naïve prince of the Southern Water Tribe, destined to marry Oikawa Tooru, crown prince of the Northern Water Tribe, in an effort to strengthen the already failing relationship between the sister tribes.

He was done with being ordered around and being told what to do and whom to love, and Suga missed that when he was banished. He missed Kageyama growing up into who he was. He missed the fights with his parents, and the severing of the marriage agreement, he missed the defiance and Kageyama’s capture. His tribe didn’t miss him, but he was sure they did miss Kageyama. 

Suga, himself, was a mystery. Kageyama had asked him, “ _Who are you?_ ”, and he couldn’t answer, because, right up until that very moment, right up until the second where he was about to topple over the precipice of a cliff, only a dark void below him, Suga was sure he knew who he was; He was Sugawara Koushi, protector of Jang Hui.

And then he swayed as Kageyama asked him, he dipped lowly over the edge as Kageyama repeated it, and he fell when Kageyama had destroyed what he had known all along, and he began his long descent into who he was.

He scoffed. He seemed a little young to be having a mid-life crisis (he hoped he wasn’t mid-way through his life, that would be unfortunate) but that’s what he had decided to name what he was feeling; it was either that or calling it a self-identity issue, and though both walked the same road holding hands, a mid-life crisis sounded a little less… _real_ to him.

Suga moved over to the bedside table, lifting the glass cover from the lamp before he blew out the flame and casting his room into darkness. He replaced the glass and slipped carefully into bed, snuggling down into warm, soft covers, and sighing gently, because it had been years since he had slept in a proper bed.

There was a light knock on his door and he turned as it opened, smiling softly when Kageyama’s head popped into view, looking sheepish and embarrassed. His hand shook on the doorknob. 

“Koushi?” He asked quietly, almost as if he didn’t trust himself or want to speak louder. “Can I sleep with you?” 

Suga shuffled over, holding up the end of the blanket for Kageyama to scramble in, and the male looked relieved as he stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him, scrambling beneath the covers and immediately curling himself up smaller, so that Koushi would hug him properly, like they did when Suga was still taller than him. 

Suga giggled quietly when their feet touched. ‘Tobio, your feet are cold,” Suga whispered, and Kageyama chuckled back. 

“I know,” he said and he took Suga’s exposed hand in his. “Your hand is cold.” 

Suga retaliated by stuffing it down the back of Kageyama’s shirt, and the boy squirmed, laughing quietly until Suga removed his hand and tucked it underneath the covers.

“Are you okay, Suga?” Kageyama asked after a silence, and Suga bit his lip. “You can talk to me if you really want to.” 

Suga felt his lip wobble. “Kageyama,” he began before he shook his head. “Tobio, I…” he drew in a sharp breath, trying desperately to stop any tears from falling and to prevent his voice from cracking. “I don’t know who I am.” 

“Is it because of what I said?” Kageyama asked. 

“Yes. No. Maybe, I don’t know,” Suga sighed in exasperation. “I just don’t know anymore. Do I hate Daichi? Do I think Bokuto is annoying? Do I know you? All these questions are giving me a headache and I just wish I knew the answers to them.” 

There was a thoughtful pause, and Suga could almost hear the gears in Kageyama’s brain turning. “Maybe you don’t hate Daichi and it’s all just been fabricated into your head,” Suga opened his mouth to protest before Kageyama hurried to correct himself. “I mean; maybe you don’t hate Daichi per say, but maybe just the Fire Nation, and because he’s from the Fire Nation, you’re trying too hard to associate the two to make yourself hate him.”

Suga shook his head, trying not to think too much about it. “That’s not possible. Why would I do that?”

“Because of what happened to me maybe,” Kageyama suggested, and Suga heard the nervous intake of breath before he spoke next. "And maybe because of what got you banished.” 

Suga almost heard panic alarms in his head. Had Kageyama figured out what got him banished? Or worse, had he heard about it? Whichever one it was, it made a sick, uneasy feeling settle in his stomach as his heart beat erratically, almost as if it were trying to escape through his chest. He swallowed thickly and shook his head furiously. 

“No, I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he began in a breathless panic. “Of course not. I don’t—" 

“Suga,” Kageyama said as he placed a hand on the older male’s cheek. “Calm down. I don’t know how you got banished and I don’t want to know until you’re ready to tell me.” He assured him, and Suga slowly felt his heart slow down. “Don’t work yourself up.”

Suga, still breathing heavily with a heaving chest, rested his forehead against Kageyama’s, squeezing his eyes shut so he wouldn’t have to look into Kageyama’s eyes, whether he could see them or not, as he calmed down. “I’m sorry,” He whispered lamely, and leant into Kageyama’s touch as he began to run his hands soothingly through is hair. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you; not now. I don’t want you to think,” Suga began, before he cut himself off to cough, noticing how desperate an high his voice had gotten. “I don’t want you to think I’m bad, or dangerous, or a hypocrite or anything. I want you to think I’m still Suga – your brother.”

Kageyama peeled himself away from Suga, removing his hands from Suga’s hair and taking the male’s face in his slender hands, making Suga’s honey brown eyes meet Kageyama’s not-quite-blue ones. “You could never be bad to me,” Kageyama assured him gently. “You’re Suga, my brother, and you always will be. Nothing will ever change that.”

Suga blinked at him, feeling tears well up in his eyes, not even bothering to try and choke them down this time. He reached out for Kageyama’s hand, resting his own on top of Kageyama’s, pressing himself further into the touch. “Promise?” Suga whispered, and, with his free hand he offered Kageyama a raised pinky. A gesture of promise they both used when they were kids.

Kageyama removed the hand that wasn’t captured by Suga so he could hook his pinking around his brothers, shaking once, gently. “Promise,” Kageyama assured and Suga smiled, seemingly put as ease as she dried his tears and settled down properly to go to sleep, curling himself close to Kageyama.

“Goodnight, Tobio,” Suga said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kageyama leaned down to press a kiss against Suga’s hair, his lips barely touching it before he settled his chin atop Suga’s head, hugging the male close. “Goodnight, Suga,” he replied, even though he could tell from the soft breathing by his chest that Suga was already asleep.

* 

“What couldn’t we have just taken a carriage to Misty Palms Oasis?” Natsu complained grumpily as she and the rest of the group followed Bokuto’s weaving across the empty street that was growing gradually sandier, heading solidly north-west, not even needing to glance at a map to know his way. 

Daichi shook his head. “We need to keep our money just in case,” he glanced over at Bokuto. “With the amount Bokuto ate last night, it was a wonder that Yukie and Kaori didn’t charge us anymore than they did. I’m just glad that we got a discount.”

Now that Daichi mentioned it, Suga noticed, his purse did feel the slightest bit lighter, but he wasn’t sure if that was accurate or if that was just his paranoia talking.

“What’s our plan once we get through the desert?” Natsu asked, looking considerably less grumpy than she had done a minute ago. “We just go into Full-Moon Bay and ask for five ferry tickets please and thank you?”

Bokuto shrugged. “That’s the idea,” 

“That’s easy enough for you,” Natsu bit back, glancing between the group and making everyone feel as if they should be seeing what she was spelling out for them. “You’re an earth bending master.” 

Kageyama removed the map from his bag, careful not to bump into any street vendors or city-goers as he did so, and unfurled it, squinting at the characters and he searched for what he was looking for. “Well there’s this place called the Serpents Pass, we could try that.” Kageyama offered, and both Natsu and Bokuto screeched in protest.

“We are not using the Serpents Pass to get to Ba Sing Sae!” Natsu told him and Kageyama had to screw up his nose in protest of how high Natsu was speaking. “Haven’t you heard the stories?” 

Kageyama blinked blankly at her and she shook her head, realising her mistake. “The Serpents Pass is only for the most desperate of people.”

“We’re very desperate,” Daichi pointed out, only to yelp when Natsu smacked him across the arm. “Rude.” He grumbled.

“It’s dangerous,” Natsu added, eyeing Daichi. “People who try to travel it disappear and never come back, and I can only assume that those people die. So unless we want to die a painful death at the hands of something terrifying, I suggest we take the ferry.”

Suga looked at Kageyama, holding two palms flat on either side of his body, imitating weighing scales. “Peaceful ferry ride,” Suga said, raising his left hand. “Or deadly pass?” he asked, lowering his left and raising his right.

Kageyama glared. ‘Alright, I get it,” Kageyama hissed bitterly. “But last time I checked; I was an escaped prisoner from the Fire Nation, Daichi was a traitor to the Fire Nation, Suga was some kind of spirit, Natsu was twelve and none of us have passports!”

“I’m not twelve,” Natsu protested indignantly. “Stop saying that!”

“What about Bokuto?” Daichi questioned.

Kageyama looked at Bokuto, who it seemed was looking at a cactus and wondering if it were drinkable. “Bokuto is… Well, Bokuto is just Bokuto.”

“Fair enough,” Suga shrugged before he lifted a hand over his eyes to block out the sun, squinting as Kageyama moved to pull Bokuto away from the succulent and get him back on track. “Hey, is that it there?" 

Misty Palms Oasis was but a spec on the horizon, but Bokuto hooted happily (and Suga wondered if he had managed to drink cactus water after all) and started bounding up the track, yelling loudly about how they were, “Nearly there!” and that he could, “Almost taste the smoothies!”, to which Suga, Kageyama and Daichi had no idea about, but seemed to be something that Natsu understood entirely and was equally as enthused about.

It only took them a couple of hours to reach the Oasis, out of breath, hot and sweaty but very much alive. It was also then when they realized that the Oasis was supposed to be a gran tourist attraction with a giant glacier at the center, not a desolate place where only scientists and desert people visited, the glacier melted down to the size of an over-sized large rock.

Suga and Kageyama found is disappointing, but Daichi and Bokuto were amazed by it, only broken away from their daydreaming and the smoothies that Bokuto had somehow acquired at Suga’s insistence of talking to the people Bokuto said he would.

Apparently the people he was going to talk to were the desert people 

“Hello gentlemen and gentlewoman!” he had greeted upon approaching them, and Suga, spotting the hardened looks, thought that wasn’t the best idea on Bokuto’s part. “I need a favor repaid.”

The people didn’t move their masks, but continued to glare. “To who do we owe the repayment?” One spoke, and Suga noticed it was the one in the corner, with green eyes visible through the half-mask. 

“Bokuto Koutarou,” Bokuto said, and the group visibly relaxed, the one who had spoken even pulled off his mask and moved around to wrap Bokuto in a hug. 

“Bokuto, it’s amazing to see you again,” the male said through the embrace, drawing back to look at his face with a fond look. “It’s been a while.”

“You know me, Akaashi, travelling, moving wherever the wind takes me,” Bokuto teased, a smirk crawling across his lips. 

The male – Akaashi – smiled softly, reaching up to knock a knuckle gently into the side of Bokuto’s head. “Going wherever a guru tells you more like,” he said, shaking his head but taking Bokuto’s hand in his, lifting it to press a kiss to Bokuto’s knuckles. “What can I do with you… You do nothing but worry me.”

“But you love me,” Bokuto nudged, leaning down to rest his forehead against Akaashi’s.

“But I love you.” Akaashi agreed, closing his eyes peacefully.

Suga diverted his eyes. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he thought it had something to do with the moment being so personal, and he wanted to give the two space; Kageyama and Daichi, on the other hand, just stared until Suga smacked them across the back of the head and reminded them to have a little tact.

Akaashi pulled away from Bokuto but laced their fingers together, smiling slightly back at the group as he nodded his head towards his sand-glider. “Hop on, we’ll take you to Full-Moon Bay.”

They followed Akaashi’s directions as they boarded the boat-looking glider and Bokuto and another sand-person positioned themselves at the side of the thing until everyone had bored. Then, they took in a deep breath, and raised a hand, moving it forward, their fingers splayed, before they quickly shot it back and pushed the other forward – the glider jolted and began to move, sending Suga tumbling into Daichi and clutching on to him for dear life and the sand-glider sped forward across the desolate desert.

Daichi rest a hand on Suga’s shoulder, careful not to spook him, and the silver-haired male looked up. “Are you okay?” Daichi managed.

Suga bit his lip. “I’ve never been on one of these before, it’s kind of scary,” he laughed at that. “But I’m probably just being silly – we’re completely safe.”

“It’s okay,” Daichi told him. “Y’know, to be afraid sometimes.” Suga froze, slowly turning to look up at Daichi from where he was hunkered over. The male had made no move to remove Daichi’s hand, so he decided he was safe to keep it on Suga’s shoulder. “I know you feel like you have to brave all the time, because of Kageyama, but, sometimes, you’ve just got to admit that you’re afraid sometimes. And that’s okay.” 

Suga looked at him and blinked twice before a tiny smile curved the sides of his lips. “Are you afraid of what’s waiting for us at Ba Sing Sae?” He asked. “Are you afraid of going back?”

Daichi’s lips cracked into a smile. “Terrified,” he admitted with a low laugh.

And Suga thought that it might be okay, maybe just once, to admit he was afraid of something; but he wasn’t quite sure if it was Daichi anymore, or just his own past.


	8. fizzling sparks on salt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " it's easy to do   
> nothing, but it's hard  
>  to forgive "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! This is a long one!
> 
> I've been itching to write this chapter and some other ones since the beginning and I'm glad I finally got to do it; because this chapter was only one of the pivotal turning points in the fic. I won't say much more, but I encourage you to read.
> 
> Enjoy!

The journey on the sand-glider was exactly as Sugawara had expected it would be; sandy, very uncomfortable and extremely fast. He was glad to say he didn’t enjoy it one bit, and he was pleased to find out he wouldn’t be going on it again.

Akaashi and the other sand benders dropped the group as close to the entrance to Full-Moon Bay as they could manage, and Bokuto and Akaashi had bid goodbye with a sweet kiss and small smiles; Suga had never seen Bokuto look at something as adoringly as he looked at Akaashi – well, except maybe meat – but, aside from that, he had also never seen the male so calm. 

Suga was also disappointed to find that Bokuto shed his calm exterior like a second skin as soon as the glider had left, and he began eagerly tugging the group to the entrance of the cave and past the earth benders that opened the door for them. He gathered them in a shadowy corner, which Suga was weary would make them look like fugitives, and squeezed them into a tight circle, accidentally knocking his head against Daichi’s.

“Okay,” he began as Daichi clutched at and rubbed the crown of his head. “Here’s the plan, I’ll walk in, throw around my status and get us five tickets. We then proceed carefully and inconspicuously towards the loading deck.”

“You didn’t need to explain that to us,” Kageyama grumbled as he brushed sand from his slacks. “We were going to do that anyway.”

Bokuto shrugged. “I was just reiterating, just in case someone would be conspicuous and get us found out.”

“You,” Kageyama’s eyes narrowed. “From anyone here, it would be you who got us found out.”

“Preposterous.”

Suga rolled his shoulders loosely before he shrugged them. “I agree with Bokuto,” Suga said and Kageyama’s mouth dropped open in shock, his eyes floundering for a crack in Suga’s deadpan. “It won’t be him. It’ll be you.”

Kageyama lifted a hand and weakly pointed at himself. “Me?” he asked.

Suga nodded firmly. “You?' 

“B-But-!” Kageyama stuttered, his arms flailing as he tried desperately to make sense of Suga’s words. “What would I do to make us look conspicuous?”

“You’d keep us in this dark, shadowy corner longer than necessary to ask silly questions,” Suga replied as if it were obvious, trying hard not to smile at Kageyama’s fish-like mouth as she gently knocked his knuckle into Kageyama’s head affectionately, letting his hand drop down to and squeeze Kageyama’s shoulder reassuringly. “Come on, let’s get on that ferry.”

Kageyama sighed, grumbled and followed after Bokuto and Suga who both strode up to the counter with an air of confidence.

Bokuto grinned across the counter. “Five tickets please,” he told the man. “For I, Bokuto Koutarou, and my friends.”

“Passports, please, sir,” The man replied, not quite looking up as he shuffled five blank tickets onto the surface in front of him, holding the stamp with his free hand. After a minute of not having anything handed to him, he looked up, an eyebrow raised. “I need your passports so I can sign off on the tickets.” He held out his hand. “Passports, please.” 

“Uh, I’m Bokuto Koutarou?” Bokuto tried, seeming frustrated. “The best earth bender in the world?”

The man deadpanned. “I’ve never heard of you,” the man told him before he sighed and began gathering up the blank tickets. “If you don’t have any passports I can’t give you tickets, I’m sorry.”

Bokuto turned away, sulking, only to look up when Suga stepped forward to rest a hand on Bokuto’s bicep.

“Let me try,” he told him with a reassuring smile. “Excuse me?’

The man looked bored. “Yes, sir?”

“My friends and I have travelled a long way to get here, and during that time we got mugged by a group of ruffians; they took everything, our passports and our clothes.” Suga sniffed, wiping pretend tears from his eyes as Kageyama looked on in shock. “Couldn’t you understand our troubles?” 

“Your bags,” The man drawled in a bored tone, pointing at Suga’s shoulder over the counter. “Are right there. If you do not have your passports I must ask you all to vacate the line, I have other people to issue tickets too, thank you, and have a good day.”

The group stepped out of the line and gathered at the back of another one, whispering options between themselves before Natsu decided that she would take the lead on the next ticket-person. Suga and Daichi looked dubious but Bokuto nodded enthusiastically and pushed the girl forward when they reached the front of the line.

“Hello,” she greeted as she stepped up, barely passing the edge of the counter with her height (or lack thereof). “My name is Natsu, and I am the Avatar,” she announced and everyone in the immediate vicinity grew quiet, she gestured behind her. “And these are my friends. We need five tickets to Ba Sing Sae please.”

The woman at the counter peered down at her, a smile crawling across her face before she burst out laughing.

“You can’t be the Avatar!” she spluttered, barely holding it together as she was. “The Avatar has been dead for over twelve years now, and the Fire Nation made sure of that,” the woman glared down at Natsu. “You shouldn’t make a joke about massacres, young lady, too many people have died because of them.”

“I wasn’t—”

“The Avatar cycle has been broken,” the woman made a dismissive gesture. “Now, please leave the line, or do I have to call security?” she questioned, moving her hand to point over at a large platypus bear – dressed in Earth Kingdom uniform – that was crushing cabbages between its pointed teeth. Its eyes met Natsu’s as one crunched and she gulped, already beginning to scurry away.

“That won’t be necessary,” she managed, her voice hoarse. “I’ll just go.”

“You do that,” the woman nodded before she looked behind Natsu. “Next!” she demanded and the person behind them stepped up.

Natsu collapsed in a heap on the floor, scowling to herself. “Well that was a bust,” she looked up at Suga and Bokuto. “What’s the plan now?”

Suga sighed. “I guess we have no plan other than the Serpent’s Pass,” he held his hands up to prevent Bokuto and Natsu speaking while he collected himself. “It’s not like we have much of a choice; we don’t have a passport so we can’t get a ticket. If we want to go to Ba Sing Sae and meet Bokuto’s friends,” he looked at Natsu with a soft, sympathetic smile. “And to get Shouyou back, we have to take the Serpent’s Pass.” 

Natsu opened her mouth to say something before she paused and shut it, biting her lip in thought before she looked between Suga and Bokuto and sighed. “Let’s take it,” she told them. “After all, what’s the worst that can happen?” 

“We can die,” Kageyama pointed out, frowning. “You said about how people die there.” 

Natsu plugged her ears with her fingers as she glared at Kageyama, already stalking to the exit. “I don’t want to know!” 

“But you asked—?”

“LA LA LA,” Natsu sang loudly, moving past the guards to hurry out into the sunlight. “I can’t hear you!”

Suga looked at him pointedly as both Daichi and Bokuto hurried to catch up with the young spitfire. Kageyama just blinked back at him with a nonchalant expression and shrugged.

“She asked,” he defended.

*

“Well,” Natsu began as she stared at the wood of the Torii that served as the entry way to the Serpent’s Pass, a small look of disgruntlement crossing her face as she did so. “This is optimistic.”

Suga moved to stand behind her and immediately focused on what she seemed to be staring at. Engraved in the dark, worn wood were the characters “Abandon Hope”. The words burned themselves into the back of Suga’s skull and they left a sour uneasiness in the bottom of his abdomen; the curling, balling sourness of doubt. 

“Yes…” Suga said and his mouth suddenly felt very dry. “Optimistic…”

Bokuto smacked Suga on the back and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, tugging him close and turning him to face up at the giant sign that glared the characters “Coiling Serpent’s Pass” down at him. 

“Now, now,” he chastised, his grey and black-streaked hair bobbing. “Don’t be so negative! I’m sure we’ll be completely fine!” He gestured wildly to the large pockets of water either side of them. “Look, we’re surrounded by water, and we have two of the best water bender with us,” he squeezed Suga’s shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. “We’ll be fine.” 

Suga found himself nodding along though he didn’t want to. “Yes,” he repeated, finding comfort in the words. “We’ll be fine.” 

Bokuto took the lead and was the first to pass through the Torii, and although Suga felt the doubt and uneasiness twist in his gut he decided to stay quiet. He was probably worrying about nothing anyway. The pathway was rocky and steep, and, while it started off wide and comfortable, it soon became thin and unstable as they travelled along the edge of the sharp craggy rocks; trying desperately to ignore the Fire Nation ships that patrolled the Western Lake. 

Daichi watched the iron ships carefully, wary at the closeness.

“They’re planning something,” he said to no one in particular, pausing when the group turned to look at him in confusion. “The Fire Nation. They’re planning something at the other end of the Western Lake; I remember that from back when I was… well, you know.”

Kageyama looked at the ship with his usual angry-looking expression. “What do you think it is?” he asked and Daichi shrugged. 

“I don’t know, but the generals and things would talk about it vaguely – it was infuriating.”

“Whatever it is,” Suga interjected, gripping his pack tighter with whitened knuckles. “It’s probably big and not good. We should keep moving, it’ll be sundown soon.” 

With quick glances cast to the sky, the group agreed with Suga’s proposition and picked up their pace; heading to the nearest cover to settle down for the night. They had everything set out and ready before the sun had dipped below the horizon, and, at the first sign of their surroundings going dark, Daichi lit the fire he and Bokuto had prepared with a small flame from his palm.

Suga and Natsu were cuddled together underneath a blanket – Natsu was nestled in between Suga’s legs as the male combed and brushed her hair out, carefully teasing it of all its knots and matts before he plaited it into tight braids to prevent it from being tangled further. Kageyama and Bokuto had watched the two with a wistful expression, though they too had their hair somewhat braided after Suga had motioned for them to sit down beside him and told them to keep still. 

Suga grinned up at Daichi. “What about you, Sawamura?” he questioned as the brown haired male looked up from the fire. “Do you want your hair braided too?” 

Daichi chuckled and ran a hand over his close-cropped hair. “Ah, I wish, Sugawara. I miss my hair sometimes,” he looked at Suga’s hair as if considering it. “I could plait your hair if you’d like, though.”

“Kageyama can—”

Kageyama looked Suga directly in the eyes as he sat on his hands. “My hands are sore,” he replied lamely. “Natsu’s asleep.” He added when Suga glanced down at the girl. 

“I can’t braid hair,” Bokuto offered from where he was devouring a bag of Kageyama’s jerky, shoving a handful in his mouth between breaths. “Just in case you were wondering.”

Suga looked at Daichi, considering, before he carefully stood up (passing Natsu to Kageyama) and walked over to Daichi, sitting himself cross-legged in front of the male, his head held still.

“Okay,” Suga told him. “You can plait my hair.”

Daichi, although somewhat shell-shocked, nodded and reached for Suga’s hair before he hesitated, unsure. Suga diminished these fears by taking Daichi’s hand and burying it deep in his own silvery locks, giving Daichi a small smile as he did so. 

“It’s okay,” he told him as Daichi stared back, unblinking. “You can touch my hair. Okay?” 

Daichi nodded and some of the stiffness melted from his shoulders as Suga turned back, facing forward. “Okay,” he agreed and he set to work. 

Daichi plaiting hair, Suga found, was different from Kageyama plaiting hair. For one, Kageyama had deft, slender hands and fingers, skilled in basket making and rope tying and all kinds of hunting – he sailed through plaiting someone’s hair without a hitch, as easy as if he had been navigating a boat through icebergs. Daichi’s hand were rough and larger, tugging at Suga’s hair every so often and apologising every time, they were skilled in bending and not so much in practical skill sets like Kageyama’s were – he made hiccups and mistakes but the braid he left in Suga’s hair was tight and sturdy.

Suga tilted his hair back and forth once Daichi had tapped his shoulder to signify he was finish, and he reached a hand to run his fingers carefully up and down the silky, bumpy pattern of the braid; enjoying the smooth feeling. He smiled and turned back to Daichi, who seemed to be looking increasingly nervous with every passing second of silence.

“Do you like it?” he asked softly, unsure and wobbly.

“Yes, I like it,” Suga agreed, reaching out too pat Daichi on the arm. “You did a good job.”

Daichi smiled back and rubbed the back of his neck; something Suga noticed was a nervous habit of his. “I’m glad,” he sighed out, seemingly relieved and Suga grinned as a wicked idea popped into his head.

“Why do you sound so relieved?” he asked, feigning innocence with wide-eyes and a pouted bottom lip.

Daichi flushed red. “Uh… no reason…”

“Really?” Suga questioned, looking down at his nails in pretend interest. “It wasn’t that you were relieved because you were afraid?”

The male gulped. “No,” he stuttered. “Not at all.”

Suga giggled, a hand pressed to his mouth as he tried to stifle his laughter. “You don’t need to be so afraid, Sawamura, I was just messing with you.” Daichi looked relieved at that and his shoulders slackened. “I mean it though; the braid was done well.”

“Really?” Daichi questioned, slightly surprised and Suga rolled his eyes.

“Really,” Suga affirmed.

Daichi laughed; a deep low rumble in his chest. “You’re just really intimidating,” he admitted and Suga’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, his eyebrows rising. “You just have this…” he gestured to all of Suga. “Aura of intimidation. It’s freaky, and I guess that was why I was uneasy about it, I guess.”

Suga closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and returned his composure, before he opened his eyes again and shook his head at Daichi. “That’s partially my fault,” Suga admitted nervously. “I was putting up a front with you to begin with. I didn’t want to interact with you at all, so that intimidation is my fault.” Suga twiddled his fingers in his lap, not meeting Daichi’s eyes. “Not anymore though, we’re companions now, yes? We’ve got to stick with each other – there’s no room to be putting up walls around people.”

Daichi felt as if he were swallowing sand and his tongue was as heavy as lead; the feeling was vaguely familiar to him. 

“Oh,” he managed. “I see.” 

“I should’ve apologised,” Suga continued, finally looking up at Daichi apologetically. “For what I said in the jungle. About you. I didn’t mean that, I was being hot-headed and silly, and what I said was wrong; so I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, Sugawara,” Daichi tried, but Suga shook his head yet again. 

“It’s not.” Suga pressed. “It was wrong of me.”

Daichi nodded. “It was, yes,” Suga looked at him, surprised. “But, if we want to not put up walls around one another, then we have to move past the past.”

Suga thought for a moment before he nodded. “I understand,” he said before he yawned once, loudly, and stood up. “I’m going to bed no, I think.” 

“Have a nice sleep,” Daichi told him with a small smile. 

“I will, and, Sawamura?” Daichi looked up at the sound of his name, meeting Suga’s honey brown eyes filled with a certain humour. “I won’t pull icicles on you if you mess up or anything,” he cracked a small, uncertain smile. “Have a little faith. Goodnight.” 

Daichi echoed Suga’s last words and watched as the male crawled into his futon to fall asleep, Kageyama and Natsu already conked out in a ball, and a quick glance to his left would reveal Bokuto curled up next to a rock. He fell asleep to the fire fizzling out and thinking about what Suga said; and how he was a damn hypocrite if he was asking Daichi to have faith and trust in him when he wasn’t willing to extend his own faith and trust out to him himself.

*

The morning left the group to trudge the last long stretch of the Serpent’s Pass, which also left Natsu complaining and Bokuto weirdly optimistic because, “If we’re not dead yet it must be a good sign!”. Suga had the sudden urge to just lie down and give up at Bokuto’s words and Kageyama looked as if he wanted to smack him; but it wouldn’t have been the first time.

They crossed four ridges, steep and rocky, and the more they walked the more Suga thought about the fact it was probably named “Coiling Serpent’s Pass” because the path twisted around like a snake. Figures. 

“Nowhere to go but down!” Bokuto chirped cheerfully when they came to a part of the path that was submerged in glistening blue water. 

Suga raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you mean up?”

“No,” Bokuto shook his head. “Because both you and Kageyama will be taking us down to follow the path with your water bending.” He clapped his hands sharply twice, pushing Suga to the front of the group and leaving a scowling to take the rear. “Now, get to it!" 

Suga rolled his eyes and Kageyama grumbled but he took a stance and moved his arms up and around in a circular motion, and the water responded easily, following the movement upwards before parting at the turn of his arms. Suga stepped forward, sliding one foot in front of the other as he moved his arms to the opposite of whichever foot he was stepping forward with and the group followed behind him, single file. Soon, there were large walls of water either side, and all it took for the walls to form into a large bubble of air was Kageyama at the back – twisting his arms in time with Suga’s.

He felt the tension and fatigue like a wave down the back of his spine, small at first, but growing in size the longer he kept up the movements; he wasn’t exhausted yet and he wouldn’t be for a long time. 

Bokuto and Natsu were looking around them in wonder, rushing along with Suga and Kageyama’s quick pace as they stared at the colourful shoals of fish outside the bubble, grinning as they swirled around the bubble and disappeared into the inky blue either side of them – other, more exotic, fish replacing them. 

A shadow passed out of the corner of Suga’s eyes and he turned to glance, focusing forward when he felt his concentration slip and a drop of water on his aching forearm. They continued to walk, and Suga’s concentration slipped yet again when he caught the movement, only this time he dropped his arms to look at the walls of the bubble, nodding at Kageyama to keep the air sealed.

His eyes darted back and forth, trying to catch whatever had moved through the distorted window of the water, squinting desperately.

“Suga?” Kageyama questioned, and the older male heard Kageyama’s silent plea; ‘We need to get a move on, I can’t keep up on my own much longer.’

Suga shook his head. “I thought I saw something,” he muttered.

“I did too,” Natsu piped up, sounding somewhat frightened and very nervous. Suga felt the bubble around him contact and several drops of water fell on his head. A quick glance to Kageyama confirmed his suspicions and he lifted his arms.

“Let’s keep moving,” he advised, and, as he took a step forward, a giant tail smashed through the barrier of the water and Suga and Kageyama lost concentration immediately.

The bubble flopped and collapsed in on itself, filling the cavity of air with salty lake water and the screams of a terrified girl, a terrified silver haired water bender and a frightened Kageyama. Daichi immediately clung to Suga as Bokuto attached himself to Kageyama and Natsu, slamming his foot down and moving both his hands upwards. They broke the surface before any of them could inhale any water, and Bokuto had a panicked look in his eyes as he checked over Suga and Daichi.

Suga looked around and saw the other side of the path, the water surrounding them was no longer a blessing but a death sentence, and the shadowing thing that had attacked them was proof of that. 

“What—” Daichi began, before his voice caught, following the green fins that protruded from the water as it circled their small, impromptu island. “What was that?”

The fins disappeared and the water was calm for a moment, too calm. As soon as the water had stilled the thin, scaly head of a sea serpent burst through the surface of the water with a violent hiss that sounded like boiling water on cool metal. It’s thin, black eyes seemed to glare directly into Suga’s soul and he gulped, taking a step backwards as the serpent opened its mouth wide, hissing loudly again as it showed off sharp, brilliant white teeth and a forked pink tongue.

Suga felt his blood run cold beneath his skin, and his stomach felt like it dropped to his feet, his heart beating a million miles an hour in his chest as he stared at the serpent. His feet felt glued to the rock beneath him, and everything connected to him felt numb; he couldn’t think, and all he could see was the serpent leering own at him, hissing out dangerously and taking the staring for a sign of challenge.

Bad choice. 

“Sea serpent,” Kageyama said unhappily, seemingly unfazed by the situation. 

The sea serpent cried out again and lunged its frilled head at the group, only to be batted away with a large block of ice curtesy of Suga (who had broken out of his state to defend himself) – this did not seem to scare off the serpent but tempted it further, the frills stuck up in anger as it’s forked tongue flickered between its teeth.

“Bokuto!”  Kageyama yelled, and the male stood upright, blinking at the young male as he pulled off the red cloaks from his shoulders. “Get Natsu away from the serpent, Daichi too, me and Suga can distract it.” Sensing Suga’s distress, Kageyama had elected to take charge and the choice was welcomed.

Suga shook his head and then his limbs in turn, working out his shoulders as he turned towards the path – with a sweeping hand motion an icy path had formed a quarter of the way towards dry land, he took a run up for the next four parts of the path way, connecting them with sweeping movements until he was sure the ice reached the other end. He watched as Bokuto crossed the path with Natsu and then moved back to the island himself; though, instead of running back on the path, he jumped onto the water, ice covering his boots and forming a block, propelling himself towards the serpent in the water with his bending.

“Kageyama!” Suga yelled as he watched the serpent screech and flail at the fireball in its eye and dodged out of the way before the tail could hit him, speeding back to the small island to stand beside Daichi. (Kageyama had been propelling himself across the water and firing attacks like Suga had done.) “Get to safety! Me and Daichi can take care of this!" 

The tail of the serpent slammed down onto the island and cracked it cleanly in half, separating Suga from Daichi and giving the silver-haired male only a second to make an ice platform for the fire bender – righting himself with his own bending.

“No!” Kageyama protested as he launched an array of icicles at the beast. “I’m not leaving you two alone!” 

“Tobio—” Suga began desperately.

“Sugawara! Listen to me!” Daichi’s voice cut in and Suga turned to look at him as he launched slices of water at the monster. “I need you to trust me!” 

Suga frowned.

“This isn’t the time for you trying to do trust exercises, Daichi.” He chastised, yelling over the noise of swilling water and fizzling fire.

Daichi scowled. “I need you to trust me, Sugawara,” he repeated, louder and more firmly this time. “I can do most of the damage to the serpent and then you and Kageyama can finish it off. But I need you to trust me and listen to me.” Daichi glanced over Suga’s wide-eyed expression.

“Quickly!” Kageyama called, and Suga barely glanced at him.

“Trust me, Sugawara Koushi!” Daichi cried, stepping forward with a fierce look and one hand clenched into a fist. He lifted the other up and thumped his chest, directly over where his heart should be and he left it there. “Put your faith in me, have faith in me; Trust me.”

For Suga, it seemed as if time had stopped just a for a moment.

If he looked to his left, he knew he’d see Kageyama, battling a sea monster on his own, exhausted and tired and losing concentration. He’d never forgive himself if Kageyama died, or, worse, drowned. Directly behind him would be Natsu and Bokuto, peering wide-eyed and afraid at the battle at hand – because this was not the swamp, and he was sure that this monster was bipedal or a human in a serpent’s skin. And then there was Daichi, and he had eyes of fire and was asking Suga to trust him - to lend himself to him. 

And Suga had a choice; he could take the hand offered to him, or he could leave it. But which would be the right decision in the end?

Suga inhaled and reached for Daichi’s clenched fist, nodding twice. “I’ll trust you. I’ll lend myself to you,” he looked into Daichi’s eyes. “Now, what do I do?”

“Grab Kageyama,” Daichi told him, gripping Suga’s smaller hand in his larger ones. “Grab him, and when I say, protect yourselves in a bubble. It’ll be over in thirty seconds, and then you can scare the serpent away.”

Suga nodded. “Okay,”

He turned away and jumped into the water, quickly dashing across the ice forming at his feet to reach Kageyama and throw his hands around the other’s waist. Kageyama cried out, and Suga heard Daichi’s call – he threw water over them, forming a bubble around them both so they fell back into the water as fire exploded around them; a brilliant phoenix from the underside of the water. 

The fire danced across the surface in multi-coloured sparks, fizzling out after a few skips and dying in the salt. When Kageyama and Suga resurfaced, it only took Kageyama to scare the beast away – Suga, on the other hand, went searching for Daichi. 

Suga scanned the water around him desperately, looking for the yellow and green of Daichi’s robes anywhere; eventually spotting him several feet beneath the surface, looking very much unconscious due to whatever he had done. He didn’t hesitate to dive into the water and drag Daichi to land by his arms, heaving and panting as he tried to pull the bulky male onto the shore.

He ignored Natsu and Bokuto and set to work on healing Daichi, the water that covered his hands glowing blue as he slowly moved them up and down his body. When it came to Daichi’s head, the glow died out and Daichi sat bolt upright, retching as he coughed up salty water and vomit, heaving from the effort.

“Sawamura!” Suga cried as he took a hold of Daichi’s shoulders, making him face him with a shake of the shoulders. “You’re such an idiot, sacrificing yourself! How stupid can you be; and right after I trusted you as well, I might as well had pulled the icicles on you. I might still do that.” He leant forward and brought the male into a terse but well-meaning hug, drawing him close. “Just don’t do it again and I’ll hold back on the ice.”

Daichi chuckled, his voice hoarse from inhaling water and almost drowning. “I won’t,” he promised, before he drew back to smile at Suga. “Now you trust me, you should call me Daichi. No more Sawamura nonsense.”

Suga smiled back, nodding. “You can call me Suga.”

“Okay, Suga,” Daichi grinned.

“Okay, Daichi.”

They looked at each other again and immediately dissolved into peals of laughter while Kageyama, Natsu and Bokuto looked on in confusion. 

*

The room Kuroo Tetsuro sat in was small for his standards; it housed everything necessary of course. The finest mahogany table for the Earth Kingdom, along with the matching wooden furniture sets, and large maps made by the best calligrapher in the Fire Nation hung on his walls alongside beautiful painting from the same artist. Scrolls and books from all four nations lined his selves, and the rug and pillows beneath him were his own from his – _his fathers_ , he reminded himself – palace back in his home nation. Yet, the room was still bathed in scarlet light, and, to his left hand side sat a teenager.

He looked barely over fifteen, though, if you looked into his eyes, you could tell his was older – eighteen maybe – and even so, he was still wise beyond his ears. He was focused solely on the puzzle in his hands. It had no definable shape, and it seemed the boy just made whatever he could out of it; the shape he was making currently looked like a lotus.

“Kozume,” Kuroo spoke and the boy’s eyebrow twitched, blond-dyed hair falling in his face. “What are you doing, pudding head?” he purred and the boy looked up in distain.

“Just call me Kenma,” he replied after he had finished looking at Kuroo. “Much less hassle and less formalities. And why do you want to know?” he inquired as he turned a bit of the puzzle, forming another petal. “You’ve never asked before. Also, don’t call me pudding head.”

“But you look like a perfect pudding!” Kuroo protested with a feline grin which one widened when he saw Kenma roll his eyes and give up on trying to convince him to call him something else; the roots of his hair that had begun growing in was an unfortunate style choice, yet he couldn’t be bothered re-dying it. Kuroo frowned and looked down at the map. “When is the other one going to get here? It doesn’t take that long.”

“Stop thinking that people will drop everything to answer your call,” Kenma chastised disinterestedly. “You’re not the only person in the world.” 

“Hush, pudding head,” Kuroo cooed, leaning back slightly to grin further at his friend. “I’ve gathered both of you here for an important reason.”

Kenma remained disinterested. “It better be important, it required too much effort to get here. Why do you have to live so far away?”

“Banishment sucks,” Kuroo offered and Kenma shrugged as he clicked the last piece of the puzzle into place.

“Fair enough.”

He held the wooden lotus up to the light, dousing the creation in scarlet lamplight as he turned it back and forth and this way and that, trying to get a good angle on it. He didn’t look up as a sharp knock sounded from the door, nor when the person stepped into the doorway. 

“Apologies for the delay,” A male voice rumbled as Kenma tapped the lotus to the palm of his hand, turning the creation back into a cube immediately with only a few twists. He began twisting the pieces again, not really having an object in mind. “I had… _business_ to attend to at Full-Moon Bay.”

“Not to worry, we weren’t waiting long,” Kuroo gestured to the seat to the right of him, urging the male to sit down. “Please sit.”

The male obeyed quickly. 

Kenma’s eyes darted up, his own amber ones catching vibrant green ones. The male was familiar, after all, the two had grown up together, but, as far as he could remember, his friend had a lot more sand on him from the last time he had seen him. The green eyes smiled at him, and Kenma cracked a barely-there one back.

“It’s nice to see you, Kenma,”

“And you, Akaashi,” Kenma replied swiftly, looking back down at his puzzle. “Where have you been for the past four years?”

Akaashi shrugged. “Here and there, doing random things and going wherever the wind took me,” he shrugged again. “Not very exciting.”

Kuroo grinned. “I beg to differ, Keiji dearest, but, sadly, that wasn’t why I gathered you both here.” Both Kenma and Akaashi looked up for a beat in confusion. “You are both hear today because I need your help retrieving something.”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow. “Well, what is it that you need retrieving?” he looked between he and Kenma. “I doubt it will be difficult for us to get it back, Kenma and I are skilled enough.”

“It’s not a what,” Kuroo informed then, and Akaashi’s frown deepened. “It’s a who.” Kuroo rifled through his stack of scrolls and pulled out a cheap-looking piece of rolled up paper, smirking in triumph as he rolled it out straight for Kenma and Akaashi to look at. “Our who is Sawamura Daichi, and we need to get him back.”


	9. an inability to breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " the mind can be a  
> powerful ally, or,  
> your greatest enemy "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a long time to write this one for some reason (*coughs* YouTube *coughs*) but it got done eventually, and I've started on chapter 10! This arc coming up is a shorter one, only a few chapters, but we have a pretty long arc before everything comes full circle, don't worry!
> 
> I hope I haven't written anyone OOC, but I feel like I've done their characters justice and written them okay for the situation they've been in!
> 
> Enjoy!

One of the things Ukai Jr realised as he sat in the empty, dimly-lit room of his teashop, blowing pipe smoke to the ceiling, was that; as his father’s replacement, he had a lot to live up to.

He would have preferred to stay in his nice, quaint teashop, serve and sell teas and chat to all customers to his heart’s content, in fact, he would have preferred to ignore his father all together and live in peace until he died old and alone – and he would be damn happy about it. Yet, he considered, if he had stayed in his quaint, nice teashop until he died old and alone, he would have never met Takeda, and in turn, he would have never met the love of his life.

Ukai sighed, tilting his head up to the ceiling as he blew out a small cloud of smoke. He peered down at his pipe before he placed it on the table he was sat in front, huffing as he pulled himself up. He glanced at the entrance. 

“Keishin?” Takeda’s voice called tentatively and Ukai turned with a soft smile.

“What are you doing up? D’ya manage to get those lot to bed?” He asked, nodding his head to the door behind Takeda.

He smiled. “Barely. Kiyoko has managed to get home okay; I walked her myself.”

Ukai smiled and cupped Takeda’s face in his hands, leaning forward to press a kiss to his hairline before he drew back to take his hand. “That’s good, we should get to bed too, so we’re rested.” he turned to the staircase as Takeda tilted his head to the side.  

“What about Koutarou?” he questioned and Ukai glanced back towards the door, sighing before he turned back to his husband. 

“I don’t think he’ll be arriving tonight,” Ukai replied with a sigh, shrugging and rolling his shoulders. “I heard from him a week ago; said he was on his way.” 

Takeda bit his lip and looked back towards the door. “Maybe we should wait up a little bit longer,” he suggested. “Just to make sure!” he added in a hurry when Ukai raised an eyebrow and grinned at him. 

Ukai nodded and walked back over to the cushion he had been sat on before, still holding Takeda’s hand. The ebony-haired male sat next to him and shuffled closer until his head was rested comfortably on Ukai’s bicep – Ukai replied by wrapping his arm around Takeda’s shoulders. The man made a small noise of content and cuddled closer, and Ukai turned away to pick up his pipe and puff out a grey cloud so as not to get it in Takeda’s face.

As far as marriage goes, his and Takeda’s was almost smooth sailing, par the occasional argument – but that was to be expected after all – though, what amazed Ukai, was that despite being married, he was still as bashful as ever around Takeda as he had been when they had first met, and he still remembered the meeting as if it were yesterday.

He had already declined his father’s offers to coach the newbies more times than he could count of both hands, and the last thing he had expected his old man to do was to send his advisor knocking on his door to demand that he come to the ‘club’ right now, immediately, please. And, shockingly, it wasn’t that Takeda had woken him up at five o’clock in the morning that stumped him, it was the fact that the male had used the word ‘ _please_ ’ while threatening him.

Takeda pulled away slightly to poke at Ukai’s cheeks and remove the pipe from between his frozen lips, and Ukai returned to himself, smiling as his husband placed the pipe back down on the table.

“What are you thinking about?” Takeda asked quietly as he rested his arms on the table. 

There were many things he was thinking about, he realised.

He was thinking about the dojo and how much progress all his students were making, and he was thinking about what he would make for dinner tomorrow, and he was also thinking about how much he loved Takeda for noticing the little things about everything, and how much he loved is smile.

Ukai shook his head with a soft smile, reaching out to card his hands through Takeda’s hair, pushing back the crazy black locks and kiss his exposed forehead.

“Nothing,” he replied, his voice a murmur against Takeda’s skin. “Nothing at all.”

Takeda smiled at him and closed his eyes. “Liar,” he teased. 

There was a sharp rap at the door and both Ukai and Takeda jumped in fright, only to exchange a glance and chuckle to themselves. Takeda moved from Ukai as the tall blond stood up to answer the door, pulling it open to reveal Bokuto and a folly of travellers, all whom looked as if they were going to collapse at any moment. 

Bokuto, of course, was as spritely as ever and was already wrapping the older man in a hug. “Hey! Ukai!” he greeted before he peered around Ukai to grin at Takeda. “And Takeda, what’s up? How’s everything.” 

“Everything is fine,” Takeda replied quickly, a worried look on his face as he glanced over Bokuto’s company. “Your friends look exhausted; they should go to bed immediately.”

Ukai pat Bokuto awkwardly on the head before he peeled the male off him.

“We should eat first,” one spoke up, and Ukai looked away from Bokuto to see a man with silver hair speaking as he lifted a small, sleeping red-headed girl further up his hip. “We’re tired but sleep can wait for now. I’ll have to wake Natsu…” The male made eye contact with Ukai. “I’m Sugawara Koushi, thank you for housing us.” 

Ukai looked at the sleeping girl – Natsu – and then back at Sugawara and his friends.

“Are you sure?” he asked tentatively.

“Yes,” Sugawara replied tiredly. “Food would be ideal first. We wouldn’t want to overstep ourselves.”

“Food!” Bokuto agreed. 

“You aren’t overstepping yourself,” Ukai told Sugawara before he glared at Bokuto. “But Bokuto just might be.”

Bokuto grinned. “You love me really.”

Ukai shook his head and lead the group to a table, sitting them down on the pillows before he reached for his matchbox to light the candles surrounding their table. Sugawara smiled at him thankfully before he turned away to rouse the girl, who awoke slowly and sat next to the raven-haired boy. Seeing as the travellers looked as if they would fall over from exhaustion, Ukai kept them company while Takeda was sorting out food for them.

“What are your names?” he asked before he gave a comforting smile to Sugawara. “I know Sugawara of course.”

“Please,” Sugawara said with a tired smile. “Call me Suga. After all, you’ve given us a place to stay.” Sugawara – Suga, now – reached down to nudge Natsu’s shoulder. “Natsu?” 

Natsu blinked blearily before she yawned loudly, resting her hair on the table. 

“Hinata Natsu,” she mumbled through her fringe and she gave a feeble wave. “Looking for Shou…” 

Suga looked up at Ukai. “She’s looking for her brother.” He clarified and Ukai nodded, reaching a hand up to scratch at his chin.

“I see…” he mumbled to himself.

“The grumpy one is my brother, Kageyama Tobio,” Suga introduced, nodding to the male who was drooping slightly and scowling down at the table in front of him like it had offended him personally, before Suga gestured to Daichi, who had fallen asleep sat up, his arms folded across his chest. “And the sleeping one is Sawamura Daichi.”

“It’s lovely to meet you all,” Ukai said, smiling when Takeda approached with a tray of food and teapot filled with what Ukai presumed was jasmine tea. He looked towards Bokuto as the bowls were handed to their respective person, and stared him down until Bokuto was smiling sheepishly. “But why in Raava’s name did you get here at such an ungodly hour?” he hissed. “You were supposed to be here almost twenty-four hours ago!” 

Bokuto tittered nervously. “Well, you see, we were going to get the ferry like I had wrote to you saying we would, but, funny story, we need passports to get on the ferry; how about that?” The male let out a loud, fake-laugh before Takeda reached over to smack him across the back of the head with the tray, glaring.

“My students are trying to sleep, so I’d thank you not to make a lot of noise!” Takeda hissed back and Bokuto had the decency to pretend like the hit had hurt.

Ukai sighed and folded his arms across his chest as Suga leaned over the table to poke Daichi awake. 

“Security has been tighter these days,” Ukai said. “Everyone here is afraid of the Fire Nation invading in one way or another and we already have enough refugees as it is…” He sighed and shook his head. “We’re overly cautious.” 

Kageyama, who had seemed to have become more alert in the presence of food and drink, looked up with a frown.

“I thought that Ba Sing Sae couldn’t be invaded,” he pointed out, grimacing when Suga reached over to pluck a grain of rice from his cheek. “I mean, no one has ever managed it.”

“There’s been talk,” Ukai shrugged before he raised an eyebrow, looking between the group. “And Ba Sing Sae has been invaded. Once, a very long time ago.” Spotting Suga and Kageyama’s dumfounded looks he hurried to add, “But it was only the outer wall, they were stopped long before they reached the king.” 

Suga placed down his teacup, seeming very interested in the grain of the table.

“Really?” he asked, his voice light with disbelief. “I had no idea…” he looked up at Ukai, who stared right back. “Who tried to invade?”

“The Fire Nation,” Ukai replied easily before he sighed and rolled back his shoulders. “It was a military general by the name of Sawamura. Daichi’s uncle I presume, correct?”

The table immediately went silent. Suga placed down his cup and Kageyama lowered his bowl, Natsu stared between Daichi and Ukai as they stared at each other, while Bokuto was eating happily, oblivious. The tension between Ukai and Daichi was thick enough that you could cut it with a knife, and, sensing this, Suga immediately drew back – not wishing to be in the danger zone when either of the intimidating males exploded.

Daichi coughed stiffly. “How did you—?” he began before Ukai cut him off.

“You don’t exactly need to be a genius to figure that one out,” Ukai told him tersely, not relinquishing his hard glare. “Plus your name is a rare one; there’s only one Sawamura family in the entire four nations, and I’m guessing you ran away from it.”

Daichi gave him a strained smile.

“Am I that easy to read?” he asked, his voice drawn thin.

Ukai shrugged. “It’s a matter of opinion,” he said finally before he settled more comfortable, letting a lazy smile crawl across his lips. “Though, you haven’t attacked me yet, so I’m relying on you to not do that; I have my kids to think about.”

The tension immediately dissolved and Suga blinked between Takeda and Ukai. 

“You two…?” he began nervously before both males flushed red, finally realising the implications of the words.

“No,” Takeda said quickly, shaking his head as he tried to hide his red face from the group, turning even redder when he realised his attempts were futile. “Our kids are our students really! We teach them combat, and the ones that bend we can’t help much but we try!”

Suga smiled at the two. “It sounds wonderful. I think, once we’re rested, we’d love to see your dojo.” 

“You’d be welcome too,” Takeda replied with a similar smiled before he stood up. “Now that you’ve done eating, I’ll show you to your rooms. I’ve laid some futons down for you in the living room and dining room.” 

“Thank you,” Daichi told them both. “Your kindness is overwhelming.”

Ukai clapped him on the back with a smile. “It’s nothing kid,” he told Daichi before he nudged him forward to follow Takeda. “Now, go and get rested, we have a big day ahead of ourselves.” 

*

Suga woke up feeling like he had slept for a week, when, in all actuality, he had only been sleeping for twelve hours, and he immediately threw a hand across his eyes and groaned, which – in turn – made Kageyama groan.

“People are sleeping,” Kageyama whined as Suga sat up and pushed the cover of the futon down, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I suggest you do too.” 

Suga frowned and reached for his pillow, seizing it up and throwing it as hard as he could at Kageyama’s head. The male immediately shot up, glaring sleepily around him as he clutched the pillow-projectile in his hands. He rubbed his eyes and glared at Suga, who gave him a sweet as sugar smile.

“Good morning, Tobio,” he greeted cheerily, and Kageyama’s frown deepened further.

“Ugh…” he groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “You’re too… sweet too early in the morning,” Kageyama told him. “Stop.” 

The door to the living room slid open almost silently and Suga peered around as Kageyama collapsed back onto the futon, fully intending to go back to sleep. Suga’s gaze softened when his eyes met Daichi and the two smiled at each other warmly.

“Good morning, Suga,” Daichi whispered softly, eyeing Kageyama’s futon.

“Good morning!” Suga chirped back before he stood up and walked over to Kageyama, rubbing his hands together before he thrust them underneath the cover until they encountered Kageyama’s skin – the male yelped and jumped up in surprise, glaring at Suga when he realised what had happened.

Daichi smiled between them fondly. “Bokuto told me to wake both of you up,” he told the siblings. “Takeda made lunch.”

Suga looked at Daichi, paused and then looked closer. The male was wearing Earth Kingdom clothes, he presumed they were either Ukai’s or some of Bokuto’s extra’s and Suga found it unsettling how good Daichi seemed to look in them; there was nothing in particular that seemed especially eye-catching, like, for instance, his thigh of his biceps, but Suga found himself staring at the brunet all the same and it worried him severely.

He decided not to question it and decided, instead, to hope that whatever he was thinking would just go away.

“We’ll be down soon,” Suga promised him and Daichi nodded, turned and exited the room, sliding the door closed behind him.

Suga immediately dug into his bag (after he had made sure that Kageyama was begrudgingly changing and not trying to go back to sleep) and drew out familiar blue clothes, smiling at the light, airy fabric before he laid the articles of fabric on his futon and pulled off his shirt to slip into a blue tunic with white accents, and his trousers to pull on the baggier blue trousers and the soft, cool boots.

He smoothed out the fabric and smiled to himself, finally feeling more at home than he had done in eight years, and Kageyama – dressed again in his skin-tight shirt with shoulder-less sleeves and the matching articles of clothing – seemed to notice as well and smiled at him.

“You look great,” Kageyama told him, and Suga half-turned, smiling broadly.

“You think?" 

“I know,” Kageyama said. “I haven’t seen you smile like that in years." 

Suga turned fully. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Kageyama assured before he strode towards the door and pulled it open, half stepping outside. “Let’s go for lunch. I’m starving.”

Suga nodded in agreement and followed Kageyama out of the room and down the stairs into the shop, where a gaggle of teenage boys and a girl were all sitting around one large table, chatting amiably, creating a ruckus and eating mountains of food. Ukai and Takeda were nowhere to be seen, but the girl and Natsu seemed to be keeping everything in line.

Bokuto looked up and waved at the two. “Suga! Kageyama! Come meet everyone!” he yelled, causing several old patrons that were drinking their tea to tut.

Suga and Kageyama moved towards the table, taking the last two seats between Daichi and a tall male that looked increasingly nervous the moment Kageyama, scowling at nothing in particular, sat down beside him. He flinched when Kageyama reached past him for a bowl of rice. 

Bokuto stood up and knocking his chopsticks against a teacup and the table quietened immediately, and the owl-looking male grinned in triumph.

“I’d like to introduce Kageyama Tobio and Sugawara Koushi, waterbenders and my friends!” The table immediately cheered, all lifting their teacups. “you’ve already been introduced to Daichi,” the table erupted into another, shorter cheer. “And Natsu,” the table made a cooing noise. “But they don’t know you and I’d like to introduce Underground Karasuno to them!”

“Introductions can come later,” Ukai interrupted from the doorway, and the entire table turned and fell silent under his stern gaze. “Let them eat first at least, Bokuto, common courtesy.”

Bokuto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “My bad!”

Suga and Kageyama wasted no time in scarfing down their food because, a) they were absolutely starving, and, b) the entire table had seemed to had finished and neither male wanted to be the last ones still eating. Upon both of them standing up, two new faces popped up, grinning broadly.

“Are you two really waterbenders?” One asked, he was fairly short and had spiked up hair, he also seemed to be bouncing in excitement. “Like, really?”

Suga nodded tentatively. “Yes,” he replied. “We are.”

“That’s awesome!” The male exclaimed before he seized up Suga’s hand, shaking it enthusiastically. “My name is Nishinoya Yuu! I bend too, but not water, I bend fire and lightning, but I wish I could bend water!”

The other male smirked, showing off sharp teeth as he offered his hand to Kageyama, who took it sceptically.

“Tanaka Ryuunosuke,” he introduced. “I don’t bend like you are Yuu here, but I’m great with a sword.”

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Suga said, giving Kageyama side-eye when he didn’t say anything. “I’d love to see your skills some time, both of you.”

Nishinoya alit up like a firework and jumped a foot in the air, latching his arms around Suga’s neck and causing the male to stagger with a laugh.

“We’ll take you to the dojo,” Tanaka told them both once he managed to pry Yuu from Suga’s neck. “Then we can really show you what we’re made of, it’s just this way.” He turned and headed for the doorway Ukai had been standing in, and Kageyama and Suga followed him in and down a steep staircase. 

“So when Bokuto said that Karasuno Dojo was underground…” Kageyama began uncertainly, before Tanaka nodded, grinning.

“He literally meant it was underground, yeah,” Tanaka agreed before he shrugged and led the three down a corridor, all of them coming to a stop in front of a wooden door. “What can I say? Bokuto has a flair for dramatics.” 

Suga smiled. “Don’t we know it.” 

Tanaka chuckled. “Anyway,” he said as he pushed the door open, gesturing to the sight in front of him. “Welcome to the dojo!” 

The room in front of them was massive, almost twice the size of the shop above, and it was lit with several bright torches which cast orange light around the room and covered everyone in a considerable amount of shadow. Punching bags hung from the ceiling, while there were dummies that would tilt backwards and forwards on the ground – on the other side of the room there was what looked like a large boxing ring, and two people were fighting in it.

Kageyama and Suga stared open mouthed and both Tanaka and Nishinoya seemed to understand and pat them both on the shoulders. 

“I know,” Nishinoya sympathised. “It’s a lot to take in. But it is totally awesome!”

“It really is,” Kageyama mumbled appreciatively. “It truly is.” 

Nishinoya grinned and smacked Kageyama’s back. “I’m gonna go spar with Asahi, I think Daichi wants to talk to you, Kageyama,” Nishinoya turned to Suga with a smile. “You should come spar with Ennoshita! He’s an earth bender like Asahi, so it’ll be cool.”

Suga cast a glance towards Kageyama, who had already approached Daichi, before he looked back, nodded and let Nishinoya lead him enthusiastically towards the taller, brown haired boy who was pouring over a scroll and listening intently to whatever Bokuto was telling and demonstrating to him. 

Suga greeted him with a smile. “Hello, I believe you’re Ennoshita,” he introduced, holding out his hand that the male promptly took. “Sorry for interrupting.”

“No,” Ennoshita said, shaking his head and Suga’s hand once before he dropped it. “You’re not interrupting at all. What brings you to me?”

“Would you like to spar?” he asked, and even asking the question seemed to ignite some adrenaline in his bloodstream.

Ennoshita grinned like a kid in a candy-store. “I’d love to,” he replied. “Whenever you’re ready.” He took his stance and Suga blinked. 

“Right here?”

“Here is okay,” Ennoshita shrugged. “Benders can spar anywhere. There’s a basin of water over there for you.” He nodded towards a large, metal tank in the corner of the room. Suga, on the other hand, was still unsure.

“Are you—”

“Too late,” Ennoshita informed him before he slid out his foot and punched upwards, immediately knocking Suga down. “I make the first strike.”

Suga landed on his back and all the air got knocked from his lungs, and, for a few seconds, it felt like he couldn’t breathe, but he staggered upwards, inhaling sharply and quickly controlling the water to form tentacles on his limbs. He whipped his arm towards Ennoshita and caught his leg, tugging it swiftly towards him in an effort to knock the brunet off of his feet – Ennoshita was prepared, and, instead, used a thin rectangle of earth to sever the tentacle and cause the water on his right arm to fall to the ground with a large splash.

Suga lifted the water from the concrete and lifted his arms upwards, forming an ice shield as Ennoshita moved with a punch to send a block of stone directly at his face; he retaliated by throwing ice disks that Ennoshita dodged or deflected with his own earth shield, which he promptly sent at Suga. It hit him in the gut before it crumbled into dirt, and Suga reeled, feeling as if he were going to be sick before he straightened up again.

Ennoshita moved again, barely, and Suga stumbled, unsteady on his feet as he felt the ground move beneath him and Ennoshita took the opportunity the knock Suga off of his feet completely by turning the concrete into mud, sending him toppling backwards.

Suga felt as if air was passing through him as his back hit solid concrete for the second time in five minutes, and he gasped as the air left his lungs – though, he wasn’t quite sure if he felt that way because he had been knocked off of his feet or because, as he fell, he heard a snippet of Daichi and Kageyama’s conversation, and he heard the words he didn’t want to hear.

“We’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

Suga squeezed his eyes shut as Ennoshita crowded over him, asking him over and over if he was okay, and, truly, Suga didn’t really think he was; but it wasn’t Ennoshita’s fault in the slightest. 

* 

The next morning brought the dread that Suga had been expecting, and he stayed awake all night until he heard the door to his and Kageyama’s room slide open and Daichi’s voice rousing Kageyama from sleep in the early hours of the morning. He stayed silent until Daichi left and Kageyama had gotten dressed, he waited until Kageyama was gathering up his last things before he sat up and looked at his brother.

“Kageyama,” he said and the boy started, before he stopped to turn.

“Koushi,” Kageyama said nervously. “I didn’t know you were awake.”

‘ _Don’t go,_ ’ Suga wanted to say, but he bit his lips before the syllables fell from his mouth and tried to swallow down the bitter feeling in his stomach.

“I heard you,” Suga said instead. “Yesterday. When you were talking to Daichi… I couldn’t let you go without saying goodbye.”

Kageyama froze and then stirred turning to face Suga properly as he sighed.

“You’re making this harder for me to leave,” Kageyama told him sadly.

“So don’t.” Suga said, but he felt guilty for even suggesting it.

Kageyama shook his head. “You know I have to, Natsu needs her brother,” he said before he reached out to take Suga’s hand. “You would have done the same if it were me.”

“But it wasn’t you,” Suga said desperately as he clung to Kageyama unwilling to let the boy go. He’d lost him before and he wasn’t planning on letting that happen again.

“It was once.” Kageyama reminded him sadly before he leant forward to press a firm but gently kiss to Suga’s forehead. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me. Or Daichi.”

This time, it was Suga’s turn to sigh. “But I will anyway.”

Kageyama chuckled. “I know you will.”

Suga pulled from Kageyama’s grip and turned to grasp for his pack. He opened it quickly and dug around until his fingers enclosed around velvet and the coolness of a pebble. Suga removed his hand and took Kageyama’s, pressing the object into his palm and closing the male’s slender fingers around it. 

“Take it,” Suga told him, keeping his own hand rested on Kageyama’s warm one. “For good luck. Just keep it with you.”

Kageyama looked down at his hand before he squeezed Suga’s free hand with his own free hand, giving the male a small smile. 

“I will,” he assured before he drew away to pocket the betrothal necklace and remove something from his person. Suga flinched when fabric was wrapped around his wrist. “And you keep this.” Kageyama told him. “For good luck.” 

Suga immediately reached for Kageyama’s hands, latching on to them for a moment before hesitating and releasing them.

“Come back safe,” he whispered.

“You know I will.” Kageyama replied before he squeezed Suga’s hand, stood up and slid open the sliding door.

Suga waited in pained silence until the door had closed and his brother’s footsteps had retreated before hr broke down into tears, sobs wracking his body.


	10. head, heart, life, live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " life happens wherever you are,  
> whether you make it  
>  or not "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter for the next two, more length chapters, and some questions you have may be answered! I'm also looking forward to write two of my favourite characters, and then two more a little bit later on… Hmm, so cryptic!
> 
> Enjoy!

Suga remembered the days when he felt like part of him was missing.

Those days were the beginning years of his banishment and, no matter how hard he tried to forget, he always remembered that he left behind Kageyama and that it was all his fault; he left behind home and family, all because he felt compassion, because he felt remorse. These days, he tried not to think about it, but, upon Daichi and Kageyama’s departure, he felt as if part of him were missing.

He didn’t know what, maybe his heart, but not that because it ached, or his brain, but a part of him had left with Kageyama, and he supposed he wouldn’t feel like himself until Kageyama and Daichi were both back, safe, with him in the North Pole. Yet, just thinking of his sister tribe, brought up more things that he didn’t want to thinking about and instead gave him a headache. 

He supposed he wasn’t missing his head after all.

He didn’t notice Kiyoko sliding into the space behind him until she had rested a delicate hand on his knee to draw his attention to her, and he looked up.

Kiyoko was pretty, anyone could see that, but she wasn’t pretty in just the average way. She had more-than-pleasant facial features, but what really carried her over all prettiness and attractiveness was the way she held herself – with poise and elegance, and she had a mysteriousness to her that you could never quite shake off.

“Sugawara,” Kiyoko said quietly as he looked at her. “Are you okay?” she asked him.

Suga nodded. “I suppose so,” he replied before he caught Kiyoko’s accusatory gaze. “Well… not really." 

“I can tell,” she informed him and Suga wasn’t quite sure what to think of that. It seemed that lately everyone else knew him a little bit more than he knew himself. “You have this sort of look about you. Like you’re waiting.”

Suga laughed dryly, throwing his head back against the concrete wall of the dojo.

“My brother is on a death mission, I’m just waiting for something,” he admitted. “Waiting for news of him. No matter what kind of news it will be; good or bad. I’ll be ready, probably.”

Kiyoko raised an eyebrow. “And what about Daichi?”

“Daichi? I don’t even know about Daichi,” he confessed, moving his head to rest on his knees. “He’s so confusing and I can’t seem to make sense of him. I don’t hate him anymore if that’s what you were asking, I do like him now; we get along well, I think.” Suga’s brows furrow. “I’ve never asked him what he thinks of me – he could hate me for all I know.”

Kiyoko giggled at Suga’s words. “You hated him?” she questioned. “Since when?”

Suga sighed. “It’s a long story I guess,” he replied, looking away from her again. “A long story with too many things I keep hidden from people. Like the fact that I lived as a recluse for eight, long years of my life." 

“That must’ve been hard,” Kiyoko said quietly, sounding as if she wasn’t quite grounded to the moment, and Suga didn’t really blame her. “Being alone like that.”

“You get used to it,” Suga told her dryly, before he sighed again and shrunk into himself. “It’s not so much the loneliness that gets to you, it’s the sense of seeming to be missing something though you never can quite place what it is that you are missing.” He lifted a hand and placed it against his heart. “You can just feel a dull ache here, and you want it gone.”

The air around them fell silent, and Suga wondered if he had overstepped himself before he glanced to Kiyoko and noticed that, of anything, she was just thinking quietly. The glass of her spectacles winking at him from the light of the flickering fire as he looks, and he doesn’t look away when she turns to him. 

“You remind me of someone I know.” Kiyoko told him nonchalantly, looking down at her feet as she smoothed out the fabric of her tunic and leggings.

“Really?” Suga inquired, feeling a peak of interest at her words. “Who?”

Kiyoko thought for a moment. “Well, she is – was – a princess,” she began, not really meeting his eye. “An important princess. The princess of the Earth Kingdom. See… she left her home, her palace, because she felt it wasn’t right for her, and, yet, for as important as she was, no one ever came looking for her.” She bit her lip and pushed up her spectacles. “For years, I – she – felt like she was convincing herself of feeling some of her that was missing, until she realised that she had what she needed all along." 

“What was that?” Suga asked, fully engrossed in her words.

She looked to him, smiled and looked across the room, smiling at the scenery and people around her. 

“A family.” She replied simply. 

Suga nodded and turned away before the story hit him and he suddenly felt very confused and turned back to her, raising an eyebrow – not quite understanding. “And?” 

“And,” she continued with a small sigh. “And so don’t feel as if you’re alone in what you feel, Suga, there may be someone close to you who knows exactly what you’re feeling.”

Suga opened his mouth to say something, before he realised he had nothing to say and promptly shut his mouth, only to open it again to speak to Kiyoko properly. “Thank you, Shimizu,” he told her quietly. “Thank you.”

She smiled and stood up, offering her hand to him. “It’s nothing,” she said as he took it and she hauled him up. She looked him over before she glanced away and nodded towards the staircase. “Ukai wants to talk to you about something.”

“What about?” Suga asked as he eyed the staircase, unsure of what lay at the top of it.

Kiyoko shrugged lightly and offered him an apologetic look. “I have no idea, but I suggest you go quickly.” She gave him a small smile. “Ukai hates to be kept waiting." 

Suga nodded his ascent and bid Kiyoko goodbye before he turned away from her and headed upstairs to meet Ukai in the shop. Every step up the stairs seemed to weigh him down, and, by the time he arrived on the shop level of the building, he felt as if he were practically a bag of bricks.

The man was sitting at a table, smoking his pipe across from Bokuto, Natsu, Asahi and Nishinoya, all of which seemed to be waiting for him. Natsu lit up as he neared the table, and just seemed to resist throwing herself over it to hug him, Ukai gave him a small smile as he sat himself down next to Nishinoya who was almost buzzing with excitement.

“How do you feel about a trip to the Eastern Air Temple to visit the monks?” Ukai asked him after he puffed out a cloud of smoke above his head and, at his words, Nishinoya began bouncing in his seat excitedly.

Suga stared at the male, not quite sure if he heard the blond right.

“What?” he managed feebly, his voice as quiet as a mouse’s. 

“What I’m suggesting is, that Natsu, Bokuto, Asahi, Nishinoya, you, and Kiyoko – depending on if she wants to go – visit one of my old friends at the Eastern Air Temple before you start heading for the North Pole to meet with Daichi and Kageyama.” Ukai explained as he sat his pipe on the table to take a sip of his tea. “Maybe you could learn some things.”

“But why?” Suga spluttered, feeling very out of his depth.

“You’ve been moping for three days,” Ukai told him and Suga felt his cheeks blush red. “You don’t spar, you don’t talk, and all you do is sleep and eat. You need to do something, and I think that visiting the temple is exactly what you need to get back to yourself.” 

“I’m fine,” Suga told him, trying his best to sound fine. “Really.”

“You’re not,” Ukai said back. “You’re really not.” He sighed and placed down his cup, running a hand down his face before he spoke. “Look, Suga, I wouldn’t be doing this is I wasn’t worried. Being sad is fine, we all feel sad, but you are acting like Kageyama and Daichi have been sent off to their deaths and that you’re never going to see them again.”

Suga curled his hands into fists, knuckles turning white from the pressure, as he suddenly felt very angry and glared at Ukai. 

“They have though,” Suga said. “There is a chance they will die doing this.” 

Ukai sighed. “And there is a chance that they will live.”

Suga glared more dangerously at the blond man in front of him. “Correction,” he hissed. “There is a very _slim_ chance they will live and a very _large_ chance they will die.”

“There is a very large chance you will die doing anything.” Ukai told the male firmly, seemingly done with nonsense chit-chat. “There is a very large chance that Tanaka will end up cutting his mouth because he uses his sword as a kebab stick, and there is a very large chance that the Dai Lee will find my underground network.” He spread his hands and looked directly at Suga, unflinchingly, and the way he didn’t react to Suga’s hostility made the male even more angry. “Life is nothing without risk.”

 Suga’s jaw clenched. “This isn’t some trivial matter,” Suga spat. “This is the life of my brother and my…” Suga trailed off, unsure of where he and Daichi stood in term for closeness. 

“Your what?” Ukai questioned, raising his eyebrow in curiosity, and Suga scowled.

“My friend.” He decided. “My brother and my friend may die.”

“My brother might be dead.” Natsu piped up and Suga immediately stilled, his eyes widening in the realisation that Natsu was present. 

Suga turned to her, slowly, eyes filled with an unspoken apology. “Natsu… I—”

She shook her head as she gave Suga a sympathetic smile, reaching across the table to caress the hand that Suga had rested on the table in his anger.

“It’s okay,” she told him. “I know how you feel now. Waiting for people to come back that might never.” Natsu’s warm, brown eyes turned sad as she gave him a sad smile and stilled her hand on Suga’s instead reaching to squeeze it. “Let’s hope we have better luck, you and I, so that our brother and our friend come back safely.”

“What happened before?” Suga asked her quietly, his eyes squeezed shut. 

“My dad and my brother never came back,” she said simply. “Except, the best part is, I know my dad is dead.”

“Why is that the best part?” he asked in confusion, feeling very distraught with the conversation. “Isn’t that worse?” 

Natsu shook her head again. “It’s better because I don’t have to worry myself about whether he’s okay or not; I know his fate, no matter how bad it is.” 

Suga opened his eyes, staring desperately at Natsu. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay.” She told him. “It’s okay.”

Ukai smiled comfortingly at Suga as the male looked up to him, worn thin from his conversation with Natsu.

“What do you say?” he asked. “Are you up for the trip?”

“Come on, Suga,” Natsu cajoled, giving her friend a small smile. “It’ll be fun. We can see all the sky bison and learn all sorts about Air Nomad culture, and, plus we have passports now so we don’t have to use the Serpents Pass again.”

Nishinoya nodded sagely. “You need to get out, and this is just the thing.”

Asahi gave Suga a feeble, encouraging smile and Suga felt himself lift up slightly.

“Maybe…” he began as he looked down at his feet. “Maybe it will be okay… just until we have to head back to the North Pole.”

Ukai grinned triumphantly. “Of course.”


	11. let your fears flow down the stream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " we can't concern ourselves  
> with what was;  
>  we must act on what is "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! The start of the Spirit Arc! (Or, so I've called it myself.) And the answers to some of your questions, which also raises more — my, what a conundrum.
> 
> Enjoy!

Yachi had been on edge the minute Ukai’s friends arrived on her doorstep, and it had taken Ushijima almost half an hour to get her to come down from the roof and prepare tea – an action he knew would calm her down and effectively get her to stop panicking – and yet, it seemed to further increase what anxiety she was feeling.

Suga and Natsu seemed nice enough.

Suga had smiled and offered a hand, to which Yachi had taken and shook with shaking hands, before he allowed himself to be lead into the grand main hall with Natsu, who had greeted Yachi with a bright smile. Both seemed calm enough, and then there was Bokuto and Nishinoya. He bounced on his heels and shook her hand vigorously before he stepped forward to clap Ushijima on the back and give a younger Air Acolyte a fist bump, Nishinoya followed his lead, but brushed past the young boy (who looked very confused at the exchange) to jump on Bokuto’s back so he could carry him into the main hall.

Asahi was almost as nervous as she was, and he gave her a smile before he followed Suga and Natsu hurriedly.

And, finally, there was Kiyoko, and she was beautiful, too beautiful.

The apprehension of greeting a girl as pretty and amazing as Kiyoko left Yachi quaking in her shoes, and she barely kept it together long enough to exchange a smile and a hand shake before she found herself dashing into the main hall to sit on her pillow at the head of the table. 

She stared down at her anxiety-ridden tea. 

“Are you all Ukai’s friends?” She questioned feebly. 

“I visited Lev, at your sister temple,” Bokuto interjected with a brilliant girl, eagerly staring down the table at Yachi as she went paper white. “He told me a lot about you and your temples.” 

“Did he?” Yachi asked, her voice raising an octave. 

Bokuto nodded enthusiastically. 

Yachi coughed into her hand, shaking her tense shoulders as she avoided Kiyoko’s careful grey eyes. “In any case, our temple is very different from… Er, Lev’s.” She managed, not daring to pick up her teacup in fear of spilling the liquid.

“You don’t seem to like him,” Kiyoko offered, and Yachi could barely look at her. “Why?”

Yachi wrapped her hands around her teacup and stared into the murky liquid. “Lev and I grew up together with Kyoutani and Goshiki, we were only small when the raid happened, and our grandparents died when we were fourteen. That’s when we met Tendou, Semi and Shirabu – all three wanted to lend themselves to us, and learn the ways of the air nomads, so we split. I got the Eastern Temple, Tendou the Western.”

“What about the others?” Nishinoya questioned, having drunk all his tea.

“I haven’t heart from Semi or Shirabu in years now,” Yachi admitted, scratching her fingernail of her cup. “I can’t help but feel it’s my fault. Building up the followers of the Air Acolytes has been taking up all my time, I haven’t had chance to send a letter.” She looked up thoughtfully. “I wonder how Kyoutani and Goshiki are doing…” 

Ushijima coughed behind her and Yachi went red in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she apologised. “That was a bit out a hand. Is there anything in particular that you’re here for?” 

“Nothing really,” Suga answered, looking more and more on edge the longer he sat in the hall. “We won’t be staying—”

“Suga wants to open his chakras,” Bokuto cut in, a brilliant smile on his face as Suga’s mouth fell open in shock. “Y’know. He has a lot of problems to work through, and I think this would be the best option for him.” 

Suga’s mouth opened and closed like a fish as Yachi watched him carefully. “Unlocking all of his chakras won’t fix all his problems,” Yachi said slowly, looking at the fine grain of the wooden table. “It may help with his inner balance and his own inner turmoil but…” She looked up and made eye contact with a startled Suga as all the tension melted from her shoulders, as it always did when she was talking about this sort of thing. “You understand that once you start this process, you can’t stop until all seven are unlocked, yes?” 

Suga leant back, waving his hands in front of his face. “Wait, stop! I don’t want to unlock my chakras!” he protested and Yachi’s face immediately went beet red. “This has just been decided for me, I don’t—I can’t…”

“If it helps,” Kiyoko spoke up, and Yachi tore her eyes from Suga to stare at the woman. “I’ll unlock my chakras too.” She offered. Suga felt his resolve crumble.

Natsu grinned. “And me!”

“I don’t want to force anyone!” Yachi cried, suddenly feeling very distraught at the way the conversation was going.

Suga gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re not,” he promised, before he looked down at his hands and clenched them into fists. “This may just be good for me. What I need.” 

Bokuto grinned at him across the table. “That’s the ticket!” 

Yachi stood up and brushed off her yellow dress, adjusting her red shawl and necklace – of course engraved with the air bending symbol – before her eyes swept across the table and she gestured towards a door. “If that’s the case, would Suga, Natsu and… K-Kiyoko follow Ushijima for now,” she said and the three-mentioned followed Ushijima through a door towards the quieter wing of the sanctuary, she looked towards a guard at the door. “Could you please lead the rest of our guests to their rooms?” The guard nodded. 

Nishinoya blinked as he followed the rest towards the door and Yachi turned to follow through to the wing.

“Hey!” He protested and Yachi stopped, bit her lip, and turned nervously to Nishinoya. “Are we gonna meet the air bender?” he asked and Yachi felt rather put on the spot.

“I’m the air bender,” she muttered, looking down at her feet as she kicked the tiles. “Now, if you’d excuse me, I have students.” She squeaked before she turned on her heel and fled after Ushijima. 

* 

Having all three facing Ushijima rap attention and wearing air bender colours immediately shook Yachi, but she just shrugged it off and closed the door to the sanctuary – which, at the sound of the door, caused the three to look at her as she walked to the middle of the room. 

The room itself was Yachi’s favourite room in her entire sanctuary. It was medium sized and had seven flowing and bubbling pools which started the water from Ushijima’s height and trickled the water all the way down to the floor level in a magnificent seven-tiered water fall – they were filled with white lotus and lily pads that filled the room with an underwater aroma. There was a glass dome, high, high up on the lofty ceiling that cast dappled rays of light onto the blue water and lit most of what needed too; once it got dark fires were lit and the dome was covered with black cloth.

Yachi sat herself on the pedestal at the front of the room, fixing herself in the standard meditation pose, and Suga, Natsu and Kiyoko unthinkingly followed her. 

“To open your chakras,” she began, her voice low and steady as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the peacefulness of the room. “You need to remain calm and at peace with yourself; be honest, and remain focused.” As silence sunk into her veins and Ushijima took his seat to the right and slightly behind her, Yachi felt a tugging at the back of her head, not quite there but evident all the same. She decided to ignore it. “Take deep breaths.”

“The first chakra,” Ushijima began, as he always did when people came to them to reach spiritual balance. “Is the earth chakra.” Yachi heard him shifting as he stood up, and not long after he was standing behind the three. “It is located at the base of the spine,” he continued, and Suga felt a light press near his tail bone – he resisted the urge to squirm away. 

“It deals with survival,” Yachi informed them, opening her eyes to watch over them carefully. “And it is blocked by fear. What are you most afraid of?” Simultaneously, all three tensed up, witnessing their visions of their greatest fears. Suga’s face slackened, Natsu’s brow creased and Kiyoko looked terrified. “You vision is not real,” she told them. “Tell me, what is your greatest fear as you subject yourself to it. Let your fears flow down the stream.”

Ushijima stopped behind Natsu and touched her gently on the head and she gasped.

“My family,” she breathed, her voice ragged. “Watching my brother die before my eyes. Watching my family die at the hands of fire. Burning in front of me.” She shook her head gently. “Fire,” she corrected. “Losing those I love to fire is what I’m most afraid of.”

Ushijima took his hand away and she relaxed, he moved to Kiyoko and, when his hand touched her shoulder, she tensed up.

“Loneliness,” she replied as easily and as quietly as striking a match. “Not having anyone to talk to. Not having a family.”

Suga was last, and he was quick to blurt out his fear. “Rejection,” he gasped out, as if the word had gotten stuck on the way out. “Being cast out. Not being able to go home ever again, losing Kageyama. Yes,” he relaxed under Ushijima’s grip. “I am afraid of rejection and losing what I have.” 

Ushijima pulled away and reached into to most pool, pulling the lotus from where the water would fall into the next pool, and it did with a magnificent sound. The three straightened up and sighed gently.

“Good,” Yachi told them gently. “You’ve unlocked your first chakra.”

“The next chakra is the water chakra,” Ushijima rumbled, once again moving behind the three, and this time leaving gentle presses on the small of the back. “It is located here.”

“The water chakra deals with pleasure, and is blocked by guilt. What burdens you with guilt?” she asked as the three frowned. “What are you blaming yourself for most? To help you must accept that these things happen, and can happen to anyone. Learn to forgive yourself.”

Ushijima pressed a hand to Suga’s head.

“The attack on the Southern Water Tribe,” Suga replied quietly. “I blame myself for that. It was my fault.” 

“Forgive yourself,” Ushijima said gently, and Suga frowned. 

“I can’t, I need to—”

Ushijima kept a firm hand on Suga’s head. “You can’t leave now,” he reminded the male. “Not until you’ve unlocked your chakras.” Suga settled down and resigned himself to frowning. “Forgive yourself, Suga. Forgive.” 

Suga frowned deeply, as if he was concentrating particularly hard on something until his brow relaxed and he settled back gently. Ushijima nodded and rested a hand on Kiyoko’s head. 

“Leaving my father,” she announced. “And leaving the Earth Kingdom to my sisters. There’s nothing I can do, I accept it. I forgive.”

“Good,” Yachi murmured.

Ushijima had barely touched Natsu before she replied, as brightly and as clear as a whistle. “My brother getting arrested, that was my fault. But he did it for me, and I accept that. I love him for it.”

Ushijima unblocked the second pond and Yachi smiled gently as she watched the water flow into the third pool, before she glanced back at the three in front of her as Ushijima pressed his fingers carefully into their stomachs. Suga and Natsu squirmed, while Kiyoko remained completely still.

“The third chakra is the fire chakra,” Yachi said, pretending not to notice when Suga and Natsu flinched. “It deals with the power of will and is blocked my shame; what are you most ashamed of? What are you biggest disappointments in yourself? Accept and love all parts of yourself, even your mistakes, to achieve balance.”

“I am ashamed of running away from myself,” Kiyoko replied easily without even a hint of hesitation. "I'm ashamed of leaving my past just because I didn't like it. I'm ashamed of leaving my blood." 

“I’m ashamed of myself,” Natsu said. “Of being so careless. Of getting Shouyou caught. Of leaving mother and everything she build for her family… I am ashamed, but I can accept this.”

Suga took in a deep breath, releasing all his tension with his next exhale. “I’m ashamed of betraying my Tribe,” he said, hoping it was enough. When it wasn’t, he continued, “I’m ashamed of caring after a Fire Nation soldier that had been injured and hiding him. I am ashamed of leading the enemy to almost destroying my Tribe. I must accept this.”

Yachi nodded. “Good,” she told him gently. “Let your shame flow down the stream.” 

And Suga did, just as Ushijima unclogged the third chakra pool, he rested a hand over their hearts once he was done. 

“The next is the heart chakra,” he told them slowly.

“It is blocked by grief,” Yachi said, her voice suddenly too loud in the chamber. “Put all of this grief in front of you. We all suffer from great loss,” she swallowed the lump in her throat and continued, “But love is an energy that swirls around us all. Love thought once lost isn’t, as it dwells within our heart and is reborn into new love.” 

“Let your grief flow down the stream.” Ushijima finished.

Suga carried a toy boat to a current in the South Pole and thought about the death of his parents and the anger of his tribe, and he stowed this grief into his boat and placed it onto the water; allowing the small wooden thing to float gently on the bleak, icy grey water.

Natsu stood at the edge of a cliff with a box held in her hands, and it carried the loss of her father and the death of her mother and she launched it into the great beyond and instead thought of Shouyou and Suga and Kageyama and Daichi and Bokuto and everyone else she loved.

Kiyoko held a crisp piece of white paper with scrawls of all the things she had lost – her blood family and her identity – and she thought of her new, better family, and how comfortable she felt with herself as she tore it up and threw the paper confetti into the wind to be carried away to a somewhere where it wouldn’t bother her anymore.

Ushijima allowed the waterfall of the fourth pool to fall into the fifth. 

“The sound chakra is at the base of your neck,” Ushijima said quietly as he moved around, pressing that spot.

“It deals with truth and is blocked by lies,” Yachi said, and Suga swallowed harshly. “The lies that we tell ourselves. Deep inside yourself you must know who you really are and you must accept that.”

Silently, Yachi felt Natsu instantly reach her conclusion, though the girl didn’t seem to notice and Yachi was puzzled at the strange tugging of familiarity at the back of her head. Kiyoko shredded the remains of the old life she had been living in the palace and accepted herself as Kiyoko Shimizu (because that’s who she was really), while Suga rid himself of what the tribe had made him believe about himself.

The fifth pool was unclogged, and next Ushijima’s hand pressed to their foreheads.

“The sixth chakra is found in the centre of the forehead,” Ushijima said as he pulled away. “It is called the light chakra.” 

“It deals with understanding, reason and intuition, and is blocked by illusions; more specifically the ones created by yourself.” Yachi breathed as she felt a low hum roll down her spine. “The biggest illusion in this world is the illusion of separation. Everything is connected.”

Suga breathed in and with an exhale he relieved himself of everything negative he had thought of felt about Daichi and with his next breath brought in understanding that made him realise that fire and water weren’t so different – in fact, he didn’t think them opposites – just as he did with all the elements.

Kiyoko breathed in and believed that her friends were practically her family, while Natsu exhaled and understood something that she couldn’t exactly pinpoint, and yet it rung a dull bell at the back of her mind.

Ushijima watched their relaxed faces and unclogged the sixth pool, having to bend this time to reach. Yachi watched the three knowing that the minute they woke up they would be exhausted and sleep for at least a day, as everyone else did.

“The final chakra,” Ushijima pressed the crown of their heads. “Is the crown chakra.”

“It symbolises cosmic energy and is blocked by earthly attachment. What binds you to this world? Imagine it clearly, and let it slip through your fingers, gently, easily as if being carried away by a breeze. Let go, and achieve balance.”

Ushijima rested his hands on Kiyoko’s shoulders. “My past,” Kiyoko replied and she let the sentiment flutter through her fingertips.

“My family,” Natsu replied, because attachment was different to love, letting the dandelion seeds float into the distance.

“Kageyama,” Suga choked and with a single tear down his cheek he let his brother go.

Ushijima unclogged the last pool and the water gushed down and splashed the edge of his trousers. Yachi remained silent for a moment before she relaxed and straightened out her legs. “Open your eyes,” She coaxed, and when they did, it was like they were seeing a whole new world. “How do you feel?”

Natsu lifted a hand in front of her face, turning it back and forth before she turned to Suga and took his face in her hands, feeling the softness of his silver hair. “Like I was blind and I’m seeing the world for the first time.”

“That’s opening your chakras for you,” she told them with a small smile. “Go to your rooms and sleep. It will be unlikely that you will wake up after a day, but you will find me when you do.”

Just as the words left Yachi’s lips, Suga felt the fatigue hit him like a tonne of bricks. Natsu slumped against him and Kiyoko blinked quickly, trying desperately to rub the sleep from his eyes. They allowed themselves to be pulled up and guided from the tranquil room and back into the hall before they exited through the main door, following Ushijima up two square staircases before they came to rest outside a simple screen door.

Upon it being pulled open, Suga was glad to see that beds had already been laid out for them, and he collapsed into his immediately, sinking beneath the covers as he buried his face into his pillows, around him he was vaguely aware of Kiyoko and Natsu doing the exact same thing.

“Sleep tight,” Yachi told them softly, and Suga fell asleep to the sound of air rushing past his ears and for once he felt at peace.


	12. despite everything else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> " let go of your earthly tether,  
>  enter the void; empty and become  
>  wind "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the lack of updates, writers block hit me hard and I wanted to write a length chapter for the ending of this arc to lead into one of the longer, more complex arcs before the true turning point. (Once again, very cryptic.) But, regardless, i hope you all enjoy!
> 
> And remember, open your mind to the possibilities!

When Suga awoke, he felt as if he had slept for a year.

His limbs were heavy as he hauled himself up into a sitting position and his head felt fuzzy and couldn’t focus on anything except the fact that Natsu and Kiyoko’s bedrolls were empty and the window was open, letting in the dappled pink rays of sunrise and the cool breeze that lifted gossamer curtains. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand before he pulled himself to his feet, covered his bare chest in a shirt, and exited the room.

Suga followed the square staircase down and felt as if he were spinning with it and that with every step down he took his stomach sank just a little bit more, though he wasn’t quite sure why. He stopped, once, at a square window to peer out and spotted about twelve monks, Air Acolytes he recalled, meditating silently in what he presumed was the eastern courtyard and he paused, hand on cool stone, before he pushed himself away and continued his spiral downwards, until he was faced with two corridors.

The one of the right lead to the courtyard where the monks were meditating and the other lead somewhere entirely different. As Suga wasn’t sure what he was looking for, he turned right and walked down a corridor, not quite hurrying and growing increasingly nervous over the fact he couldn’t hear his own footsteps. The corridor opened to another courtyard, but this one was filled with about a dozen fully-grown sky bison.

He had seen a sky bison before (how else would he have gotten to the air temple?) but he still wasn’t used to the massive, shaggy furred creatures. Some turned to look at him before they went back to the hay they were eating, while other just ignored him entirely, one, on the other hand, lumbered over to him and nudged at him until he lifted a hand to stroke the wool-like fur.

He smiled gently and moved his hand, patting the beast once more before he heard a faint humming and decided to follow it. The tune coaxed him into the warm paddocks and revealed a peaceful Yachi, who was brushing happily at a sky bison calf’s fur.

“Yachi?” Suga asked, and he didn’t realise quite how loud he was until Yachi startled, cried out and let the brush clatter to the floor. “Oh, Sorry.” He apologised as he leant down to offer the girl the brush.

Yachi looked at him and then took it gently with shaking hands. “Don’t scare me like that!” Yachi replied, and yet it sounded more fearful than angry.

Suga smiled apologetically and sat down on the floor across from her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean too.”

“I see you’ve slept well,” Yachi said as she turned back to the calf. “You woke up a lot later than everyone else.”

“Did I?” Suga questioned as he leant back and rubbed his stiff neck. “I feel like I’ve slept for months, how long have I been asleep?”

“Oh, just a week.” Yachi mumbled as Suga’s eyes widened. “But opening that much in one go exhausts the body. You had a lot to let go of and open up to, Kiyoko and Natsu not so much." 

Suga sighed and leant back, propping his arms on his raised knees, turning back to Yachi to give her a reassuring smile. “I guess it’s not too bad if it’s normal,” he told her. “Was it successful?”

Yachi nodded. “I can tell, you’re a lot… Well, it’s hard to explain, but- Brighter.”

“That’s good,” Suga agreed, leaning forward to scratch the calf behind its ear. “What’s this little guy’s name?” he asked.

Yachi smiled softly as she patted the sky bison’s head. “Her name is Nora.” She told him. “Crow seems to be fond of you,” she began, flushing pink when she noticed his raised eyebrow. “The sky bison who took you here. Crow. He seems attached to you and Natsu.” 

The two fell into a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the sky bison outside the paddock and the soft, almost purr-like, sounds coming from the calf Yachi was grooming. Suga let his head fall back against the wooden wall behind him, closing his eyes as he faced the sky.

“I thought we might talk,” Yachi began gently.

Suga hummed. “About what?”

Suga opened an eye and noticed Yachi was tongue-tied and gripping the brush just a little too tightly. “Well…” she managed. “I thought we might talk about your chakras… a few specifically.”

At Yachi’s words Suga immediately felt his blood run cold, and he tilted his head until he was staring at her.

“Which ones?” He asked slowly, his voice hoarse and his throat dry.

“Your earth chakra,” she said. “And your water and fire ones.” Suga swallowed hard as Yachi placed down the brush and put the calf on the floor, letting it totter out into the warm air towards it’s parents. “Would you tell me about them?” Yachi asked, offering Suga a small hand with bitten-to-the-quick nails. “Would you trust in me?”

Suga felt his throat close but nodded and slowly let his hand touch Yachi’s as she moved to crouch on the floor with him, her hands were calloused on his and he refused to meet her eye.

“I was twelve,” he began, clearing his throat when he felt his voice crack. “I had been adopted by the Kageyama’s, Tobio’s parents, because my parents had been killed. The Sugawara’s were nobles, lords, second-hands to the long line of chief Kageyama’s, so, when my parents died, it was only right that I was entrusted to them. But this was years before, when I was six and Kageyama was three.” Suga paused, unsure of where to go, and he looked up when Yachi squeezed his hand in comfort.

“Go on,” she coaxed gently, a small, encouraging smile on her lips. “Don’t worry.”

Suga took in a deep breath. “But I was twelve, when I found him on the shore, half-dead and mostly buried in ice and snow. I didn’t know, really, who he was, he had lost his helmet and his clothes were torn to rags.”

“Who?” Yachi asked.

“The Fire Nation soldier.” Suga replied quietly. “I didn’t know. I dragged him back to a close enclave and lit a fire, covered him in the furs people weren’t going to miss – it was spring anyway – and cared for him. He was burned,” Suga continued, his hand shaking as he lifted his hand. “Right down the one side of his face,” he gestured there, his hands grazing his own, smooth and unscarred skin. “and his hair was soot black and shorn close, almost- not like the Fire Nation wore it.”

Yachi squeezed his hand again. “Did you feed him?” she asked. “Let him drink?”

Suga nodded. “I did. I-I fed him broth, the little bits left in the bottom of the pot that no one wanted, and he got better. Slowly. He wouldn’t tell me his name, he would never tell me his name, but he was kind to me and let me try to heal the scar that had already set in, I didn’t know. I didn’t know.”

“What didn’t you know?” Yachi asked him quietly, watching as hot tears spilled down his cheeks.

“That he had a messenger hawk, that he had contact with Fire Nation ships. It was my fault. The attack on the Southern Water Tribe was my fault, and if the guards hadn’t found out when they did… all the waterbenders… Kageyama and I… we would’ve been dead.” Suga choked out, dragging his other hand across his downing eyes, already feeling his skin stiffen under the drying tears. “I… It was my fault the attack happened. If I just left the boy, kicked him into the ocean and let him die – let him drown – I would still be part of my family.”

Yachi rubbed circles on his hand with her thumb. “Everything happens for a reason,” she said, leaning forward to wipe away his tears. “Even the terrible things amount to something.” He fell silent. “What happened next?” she encouraged. 

Suga swallowed. “They called it to a meeting, and I was banished, kicked out with some baggy and old, mismatched clothes and a one-way ticket to the Earth Kingdom. The first thing I remember doing is begging and then crying, and I cried all the way to the Earth Kingdom, and then all the way to the Fire Nation.” The hot tears down his cheeks reminded him of that day, and how it felt to try and forget. “I was still twelve when I started acting as the Painted Lady, and then I never left, not until I found Daichi and Kageyama.”

Yachi reached up, brushing hair back from Suga’s forehead. It was getting long.

“You were so young,” she said softly. “So brave. Too young.” Yachi smiled at him as he sniffed and wiped away his tears with her thumb. “Do you feel lighter?” she asked him.

“I… Yes.”

“That is good, now,” she tugged him up, until he was standing straight, and blew a small gust of wind at him – fluffing up his hair and drying his face. “Breakfast will be ready soon. The others have been expecting you.” Suga nodded as Yachi headed for the door. “If you like, you can go first. I have things to finish.”

Suga turned to the door of the barn, staring, until he squared his shoulders and set his jaw. He lifted his chin up, feeling his mother’s calloused hands pushing it up gently, and walked out into the warming air, the sky now blue with the rise of the sun.

It didn’t take him long to find the banquet hall, not from the noise emitting from it, but the minute he pushed the door open and stepped inside, the room fell silent. All his friends were staring at him as blank as slate, looking him up and down, and Suga felt the tug in his chest, his heart lurching from his chest because now they knew everything and he was so sure they would hate him from it. The tears pooled in his eyes and he lifted his arm to his eyes, soft sobs cutting through the deathly silence of the room, and his hands shook as they plastered themselves against his eye sockets; digging the balls of his palms into his eyes.

His hands dropped to his sides and clenched into fists, pulling his lip into his mouth with his teeth as he tried to stop the tears from trickling down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry.” Was all he managed before there was a scrape of a chair and the sound of footsteps padding to him until he was wrapped in a hug. He stood, hands held out in front of him as a head of black hair curled close to his neck, her hands around his neck and her hair tickling his nose, and, slowly, Suga leant down to her shoulder and rested his chin there.

Kiyoko leant back after a minute, giving him a soft smile as she removed her hands to cup his face and caress his cheeks. “Don’t apologise,” she told him. “You did your best. You have no reason to apologise.”

“But,” Suga bit his lip, finally calming the sobs. “I kept it from you. All of you. Why…” 

“We all have our secrets,” Kiyoko reminded him, brushing the tears from his skin. “And your courage, your bravery, was enough to help me come to terms with my own. We all have our secrets, Sugawara, but friends are there regardless and we love you. We love you despite everything else.” She smiled again and leant up to brush her lips against the top of his head. “Now, dry your tears,” she told him with a giggle, handing him a handkerchief. “And come have some breakfast, sleepyhead."

Suga laughed and dabbed at his eyes as he followed Kiyoko to a free seat, immediately serving himself with rice porridge and egg the minute he was properly seated.

“I have my own news as well,” Kiyoko announced once she was seated again, and the table turned to look at her again.

“Really?” Nishinoya asked through a mouthful of food, his chopsticks limp in his hand. “What?”

Kiyoko placed her bowl down and wiped her mouth daintily, replacing the cloth on her lap before she smiled at her friends across the table. “Thank you,” she told them. “For being there for me. Nishinoya and Tanaka especially,” The two grinned and puffed their chests up at the mention of their names. “I’m afraid this is where we must part.”

Tanaka dropped his bowl. “Kiyoko… what do you mean?”

“I’m staying here, with Yachi.”

There was a squeak at the door and the table turned again, noticing the blonde standing there, clutching at her elbow that she had presumably banged against the wall in her shock. She blinked at Kiyoko before she dashed to the woman’s side, seizing up her hand. “Really?” she asked faintly, clutching Kiyoko’s hand in two of her own. “You really want to stay?”

“Of course I do,” Kiyoko smiled, resting her other hand on top of Yachi’s and brushing her thumb over Yachi’s knuckles. “It’s beautiful here. I love it, and I want to stay here with you.”

Yachi and Kiyoko stared at each other with a love that would put the stars to shame, and, as they stared at each other, it seemed like the world had stopped moving around them and that it was just them, stuck in a perfect moment forever. Foreheads pressed together, and their hearts beating proudly in time on their chests. Suga smiled and looked down at his bowl, before he looked back up at Kiyoko.

“Good luck,” he told her, and she turned to look at him, her lips parting. “I hope you’re very happy, and continue to be. Remember to write to me, okay?”

Kiyoko stared at him blankly for a while longer before her lips curled into a smile and she nodded happily, leaning back against Yachi. “I am happy,” she whispered allowing her eyes to flutter closed. “I am so very happy.”

And Suga believed her with every ounce of himself.

*

“Crow would just be sad if he stayed here with me,” Yachi promised for the tenth time and Suga fretted over the bison and Yachi’s offer. Tanaka, Nishinoya and Asahi were packing up the supplied the Temple had gifted them while Natsu bid goodbye to the sky bison calves and Suga spoke to Yachi. “He wants to fly. Get out and about.” She stroked his muzzle thoughtfully. “I haven’t been able to give that to him.”

“Are you sure?” Suga asked for the eleventh time, and Yachi nodded firmly, taking his hands in hers.

“Dead sure,” she assured him before she smiled again, dropping his hands quickly. “Now, get on board, it’ll take you a day or two to get to Ba Sing Sae.”

Suga smiled and hitched his pack up further. “Thank you, Yachi,” he told her truthfully. “For Crow, for the help you gave me, for everything.” He sighed, gently patting Yachi on the shoulder. “Just… thank you." 

“Don’t mention it,” she said before she grinned, spinning him around with her air bending before she pushed him closer to the bison. “Now, go on! You have a long journey, and travel safe.”

Suga nodded, wrapped Yachi in a hug, and boarded the beast, sitting himself next to Natsu and Asahi, while Nishinoya and Tanaka grappled from the reins – Tanaka eventually coming out victorious after three rounds of Janken – before he turned back to the temple.

Suga took in the jade-green colour of the roof tiles and the sandstone yellow brick that made up the beautifully towered pagoda and the blue sky behind it; it looked like something out of a painting, something that not everyone got to see, and he had seen. He had seen so much, but the temple was beautiful and he had the comfort of his friends.

Kageyama could take care of himself, he realised, and Daichi would always be Daichi.

Kiyoko stood on the roof of the shoro dressed in yellows and reds, smiling and watching s the bison roared and took off into the horizon, the gust causing the sheer fabric of her skirts to spiral upwards, surrounding her like a particularly peculiarly coloured cloud. She lifted a hand in a wave to the people who probably couldn’t even see her anymore, and she prayed with all her heart.

“Kiyoko?” Yachi called, looking up at the woman. “What on earth are you doing up there?”

Kiyoko smiled down at the blonde. “Saying goodbye, I suppose,” she looked at the tiles underneath her feet. “I’ll be down in a minute.” She hovered for a minute, unsure, before she grinned and gathered her skirts up into a hand. “Catch me, Hitoka!”

“Kiyoko—Wait!”

Kiyoko leapt and Yachi immediately sent a gust of wind to catch her in a panic, allowing the raven-haired girl to gently float down to her, grinning and giggling as Yachi took her in her arms, checking her over for cuts or scratches or injuries of any kind.

“What were you thinking?” She blubbered, taking Kiyoko’s hands. “That was dangerous; you could’ve hurt yourself, or… or died!”

Kiyoko smiled. “But I didn’t,” she reminded the blonde. “You caught me!”

“But what if I didn’t!” Yachi stressed before Kiyoko cupped Yachi’s face with soft slender hands.

“But you did,” Kiyoko reminded her, and Yachi gulped, calming down from her panic. “You’d never let me fall. I trust you.”

The words rang beautifully in Yachi’s mind as she stared at Kiyoko, her drawn-thin lips curling to a gorgeous smile as she laughed, clear and as loud as a bell, leaning into Kiyoko’s touch.

“And I trust you,” she told her, taking the woman’s hand as they turned together, walking back into the temple. “Come with me, I’d love to show you something.”

*

The messenger hawk had arrived a few hours before Suga did, and the minute the bison touched down on the flat roof of the Karasuno Tea Shop Suga had dashed in through the second storey window and seized the scroll from Ukai. Tanaka and Nishinoya had to be the ones to explain Kiyoko’s absence while every cell of Suga’s body was filled with nothing but relief.

His hands shook on the crumpled parchment before he clutched it to his chest. 

Kageyama was alright, Daichi was alright, and, most importantly he thought as he handed the letter to Natsu, Hinata was alright as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'wind in your hair' is going to be a spinoff (maybe multichapter) one-shot for the beautiful and adorable KiyoYachi, and, trust me, there is more to come for the spinoffs.


End file.
